Former UK intelligence head: Yahya Sinwar's death may trigger Islamic terror in the UK

Published: OCTOBER 21, 2024 05:20

Updated: OCTOBER 21, 2024 10:16

Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) chief, John Sawers, arrives for a meeting of the UK's National Security Council, at 10 Downing Street in London August 28, 2013. (photo credit: REUTERS/SUZANNE PLUNKETT) — Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) chief, John Sawers, arrives for a meeting of the UK's National Security Council, at 10 Downing Street in London August 28, 2013.

(photo credit: REUTERS/SUZANNE PLUNKETT)

Sawers cautioned that new leadership within Hamas and Hezbollah might intensify their focus on violence, and possibly “revert back to international terrorism, including here in the UK.”

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by IDF forces may lead to an increase in the likelihood of Islamic terror attacks in the UK, former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers said in an interview with Sky News on Sunday.

Sawers stressed that Sinwar's successors could expand the terrorist group's violence to target Western nations. When asked by Sky News if Sinwar’s death would make a ceasefire more likely in the Middle East, Sawers expressed skepticism, stating, “In Gaza, I’m not sure it changes things a great deal.”

He further highlighted the gap between the Israeli perspective, which believes it has “Hamas and Hezbollah, and Iran to some extent, on the back foot,” and the Arab perspective that experiences repeated frustrations with recent events in the Middle East, namely the killing of Sinwar.

Sawer emphasized that “the frustrations that we’ll be seeing because of the lack of movement on the Palestinian question, because of the violence people are witnessing every day” may lead to “Islamic terrorism… get a further boost.”

Former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar looks on at an anti-Israel rally, in Gaza City, in 2022. (credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)

He then cautioned that new leadership within Hamas and Hezbollah might intensify their focus on violence and possibly “revert back to international terrorism, including here in the UK.”

Warned of potential rise in Islamic terror

In light of these developments, Sawer urged UK police and intelligence agencies to remain vigilant for signs of rising Islamic terror threats.

Sinwar, 61, who orchestrated the October 7 Massacre - during which Hamas invaded Israel, killed some 1,200 people, and took 251 hostages - was killed during an Israeli tank operation in Rafah.

Sinwar was discovered dead by Israeli forces the day after the attack, which, initially before his body was discovered, was not thought significant by military and government officials. However, following the confirmation of his death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that it marked the “beginning of the end” for Hamas’s governance of the Gaza Strip.