Jewish leaders in Britain said Friday that security had been tightened around synagogues and community centers amid fears the Middle East conflict could spill over.
Police and volunteers have stepped up patrols at synagogues and other Jewish community centers around the country in response to the possible threat of violence, community leaders said.
Mike Whine, spokesman for the Community Security Trust of the British Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: "We are concerned. We have raised our security levels as a consequence of the Middle East situation."
Police have increased foot and car patrols around key Jewish sites and senior community leaders were in touch with police chiefs by mobile phone to swap intelligence and warn of any potential attacks, he said.
The Metropolitan Police would not confirm or deny that it had undertaken such measures.
Whine added: "We have a pro-active approach to security and I think that has pre-empted many potential attacks."
In July 1994, two car bombs rocked the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, and the United Jewish and Israel Appeal charity offices in Finchley, north London, the day after Israel and Jordan signed a peace deal.
Two Palestinian students were sentenced for 20 years in 1996 for conspiring in the attacks.
Former Labor member of Parliament and chairman of the Holocaust Education Trust, Lord Janner of Braunstone, said he hoped violence in the Middle East would not spill over into Britain.
He said: "So far, there have been no threats of any sort to members of the Jewish community in the UK that I know of, and I hope there will be none.
"We don't want Middle East conflicts to spread into relations between Palestinian and Jewish communities in other lands.
"I would be very surprised if people didn't up security but I, personally, have not be given any advice by the police." - LONDON (AFP)
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