UK pledges wider legislation to tackle state-sponsored threats after London stabbings

Britain on Thursday said it would introduce new legislation to tackle state-sponsored threats, after two Jewish ‌men were stabbed in the latest apparent antisemitic attack amid warnings that states like Iran were using criminal proxies.

Ministers said the government would fast-track legislation allowing the prosecution of people acting as proxies of a state-sponsored group, so they can be dealt with in the same way as spies for foreign ​intelligence services.

British police and security officials have warned that Iran has increasingly sought to use criminal proxies to carry out hostile ​activity, and that Russia and China have done the same. A pro-Iranian government group has claimed responsibility for ⁠some recent attacks.

Read more: Reuters