Russia and Iran using 'disposable' spooks to attack Europe including UK

Terror warning as tensions mount between the west and the Russia-Iran axis – and Moscow and Tehran increasingly pay criminals and extremists to attack across continental Europe and UK

Both Russia and Iran are stepping up their attempts to stir up hatred and discord across Europe including in the UK – in particular towards Jewish and Muslim communities. Attacks, according to US intelligence analysis, include using ‘disposable agents’ and ‘criminal networks’ increasingly to try and de-stabilise UK society and within continental Europe.

These acts of violence or sabotage are often paid for by using ‘virtual currency’ which makes it extremely difficult to intercept and investigate. The report by the New York-based Soufan Centre, run by ex-FBI man Ali Soufan, warns Russia and Iran are attempting “…intimidation, arson, sabotage, attacks on civilian communities, and threats against symbolic soft targets as a key component of their hybrid tactics.”

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Both countries, according to the security assessment, are using social media, AI and ‘virtual currencies’ to pay for crooks to launch attacks – and this is happening in the UK. Separately a senior western security source told the Daily Mirror : “The view among the security community, police and intelligence agencies is that this activity will increase.

“It is seriously difficult to defend against and it will tie up police officers and other security resources at an increasing rate. Intelligence agencies are already working flat out against the more traditional acts of terror and plots from Islamic extremism and the far right. Both Russia and Iran know this and that it is destabilising to society.”

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The Soufan report warns: “Russia and Iran have increasingly utilized disposable non-state actors in attacks across Europe to pursue their broader state objectives while outsourcing terrorist-style activity to criminal networks and disposable agents.” It highlights the UK’s sanctioning of nine people this week, accused of financing and plotting attacks ‘in Britain and abroad.’

The British Foreign Office has frozen assets and banned travel to counter Iran’s use of gangs to carry out threats overseas and use illicit financing that helps it to wage war and block the Strait of Hormuz. The Soufan report focuses upon Iran being likely behind attacks in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway against Jewish targets.

But it adds that Russia too is targeting Jewish and Muslim sites to promote disorder and unease in countries such as the UK. It says: “Both Iran and Russia have been credibly accused by a plethora of nations across the continent of utilizing proxy networks…to sow discord…’

And it says that Iran has promoted these attacks but adds: “At the same time, Russian proxy activity, including operations targeting Jewish or Muslim sites, has been understood as part of Moscow’s broader hybrid toolkit to fuel already existing social tensions, and disrupt broader societal cohesion.”

It was revealed as both Russia and Iran are involved in brutal wars and with increasing evidence that they are colluding. Russia is now making its own Iran-designed ‘Shahed’ kamikaze drones which it has used to devastating effect against Ukraine ’s civilians. And the Kremlin is suspected of providing intelligence to Iran to help it in its ongoing conflict with the US and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.

In recent years the two have become close strategic allies and the Russian Federation has been a long-term supplier of weaponry to Tehran. It is believed that Russia has plans to supply unjammable drones to Iran.

Russian and Iranian officials are suspected of having had “very active” discussions about transferring drones from Russia to Iran, European intelligence officials have revealed. It is believed the arrangement highlights growing concerns Iran and Russia increasingly are working together against western interests.