THE threat of a terrorist attack on an MP during the general election campaign is “substantial”, cops warned.
A document leaked to The Sun on Sunday reveals: “An attack is likely.”
It was sent to returning officers at councils across the country for distribution to election candidates.
GettyWestminster, London, England.[/caption]
Police shared that should a terror attack happen, “it would most likely be conducted by a self-initiated Islamist terrorist”.
The revelation was made by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office.
The security briefing stated: “The threat from terrorism to the 2024 General Election (GE) remains MODERATE: an attack is possible but not likely. There is no information to suggest a credible threat to the GE.
“The threat to MPs remains SUBSTANTIAL: an attack is likely.
“A number of historic terrorist attacks carried out in the proximity to Western elections have not specifically targeted those elections. Consequently, were an attack to occur during the GE period this may not be directly linked to the GE.
“Should an attack occur against the GE, it would most likely be conducted by a self-initiated Islamist terrorist, target civilians engaging in the democratic process in a publically accessible location (PAL), and involve the use of a low-sophistication methodology, the UK National Threat Level is SUBSTANTIAL: an attack is likely.”
In 2022, IS fanatic Ali Harbi Ali was given a whole-life sentence for murdering Sir David Amess MP.
The terrorist stabbed the 69-year-old Conservative MP for Southend West more than 20 times after tricking his way into a constituency surgery in Essex a year earlier.
Ali, from Kentish Town in North London, said he had plans to target various MPs, including cabinet minister Michael Gove.
He told his trial he was motivated by a desire to seek revenge against MPs who had voted for airstrikes on Syria.
Mike Freer, Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said he and his staff would start wearing stab vests and panic alarms for constituency surgeries.
In 2016 a far-right terrorist shouted “This is for Britain” as he killed Labour MP Jo Cox.
She was stabbed 15 times and shot three times outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds – a week before the EU referendum.
Thomas Mair was sentenced to prison for the rest of his life for the murder.
Earlier this week Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would continue to meet the public after being attacked on a bus.
He had wet cement thrown at him when he was on his open-top bus on Tuesday morning in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
The attack came just a week after he had a McDonald’s milkshake thrown over him as he left a Wetherspoon’s pub in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, shortly after launching his campaign to stand for election in the town.
Farage has been offered private security by the Home Office.