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MI5 is being forced to ‘pare back’ its fight against counterterrorism due to growing threats of meddling from Russia and other aggressive countries.
Security agency boss, Ken McCallum revealed Britain is having to try and tackle ‘grander and more sophisticated attacks’ from hostile states.
According to the MI5 director general, the attacks are understood to include cases of arson, sabotage and assassinations.
As a result, he said the service had been strong-armed into making ‘uncomfortable choices’ due to their limited resources in dealing with said threats in recent years.
It is understood the Times obtained the comments from a copy of a podcast interview between the intelligence boss and outgoing cabinet secretary Simon Case, which was marked ‘official sensitive’.
The MI5 boss divulged there was ‘much more aggression’ from certain states, before adding that Britain had until now a ’20 to 30-year holiday’ from ‘big player’ nations when it came …