Iran crisis could inspire sleeper cells to launch UK terror attacks
IRAN-BACKED terrorist cells could be deployed to launch attacks in the UK if the crisis between London and Tehran deepens, intelligence sources have warned.
Among senior intelligence officers, Iran ranks behind only Russia and China as the nation state posing the greatest threat to Britain’s national security and the seizure of the Uk-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero will have intensified concerns in MI5 and MI6.
Intelligence agencies believe Iran has organised and funded sleeper terror cells across Europe, including the UK, and could greenlight attacks in response to a conflict in the Gulf.
The cells are operated by radicals linked to Hizbollah, the Lebanese militant group. Counter-terror police disrupted a cell in 2015 that was caught stockpiling tons of explosives at busi- nesses on the outskirts of London.
A source said: “Iran has Hizbollah operatives in position to carry out a terrorist attack in the event of a conflict. That is the nature of the domestic threat Iran poses to the UK.”
MI5 and the Metropolitan Police are confident the 2015 raids severely disrupted Iran’s terror activities in the UK but cells are widespread in Europe.
The 2015 plot, the existence of which was first disclosed by The Daily Telegraph only last month after it had been kept hushed up by authorities, was described as “proper organised terrorism”. Iran has also been blamed for cyber attacks in the UK, including the hacking of MPS and peers in 2017 and an attack on the Post Office, local government networks and private sector companies at the end of 2018. The group responsible has been linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The row over the seizure of the Stena Impero prompted infighting among the Conservative leadership yesterday.
Iain Duncan Smith, the chairman of Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign, accused Theresa May of making a “major miscalculation” by turning down an offer from Donald Trump of US protection for British ships in the Gulf. Speaking on the BBC’S The Andrew Marr Show, Philip Hammond insisted the Government had not taken its “eye off the ball” by failing to provide a naval escort for the Stena Impero.
Yesterday, a recording emerged of a radio exchange between Iranian armed forces, the oil tanker and HMS Montrose, a Royal Navy frigate too far away to assist. An Iranian, speaking broken English, can be heard ordering Stena Impero’s captain to alter course “immediately”, warning him: “If you obey you will be safe.” The Iranians then tell HMS Montrose: “No challenge is intended. I want to inspect the ship for security reason.”
The Department for Transport yesterday published a naval chart showing the tanker was in Omani waters “when it was interrupted by Iranian forces”.
In a letter of protest to the UN Security Council, the UK Government accused Iran of “illegal interference” by seizing the oil tanker and added: “We do not seek confrontation with Iran.
“But it is unacceptable and highly escalatory to threaten shipping going about its legitimate business through internationally recognised transit corridors.”