A Brazilian man triggered a terror alert in London by placing a non-explosive device near MI5’s HQ after his asylum was denied.

A Brazilian man, Julian Valente Pereira, 32, triggered a terror alert on January 1, 2026, after placing a homemade device made of paper, tape, and string near MI5’s Thames House headquarters in London, according to CCTV footage. The device, which contained a lighter but was not explosive, followed his asylum appeal rejection the day before. Pereira admitted he sought maximum attention for his immigration grievances, aiming to expose alleged Home Office corruption and poor conditions for asylum seekers. He had previously attempted to deliver documents and a knife at Buckingham Palace. Arrested in Uxbridge, he was remanded in custody until sentencing on April 1, after being found guilty of a bomb hoax.