UK terror threat raised to ‘severe’
The UK terror threat is raised from substantial to severe – meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely – whilst David Cameron promises to make it harder for British jihadis to travel abroad.
The home secretary, Theresa May, said: “The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) is responsible for setting the national threat level. That informs the decisions of security professionals across the public and private sectors about the appropriate level of security in place across the United Kingdom.
“JTAC’s judgements about that threat level are made on the basis of the very latest intelligence and are independent of ministers.
“JTAC has today raised the threat level to the UK from international terrorism from substantial to severe. That means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but there is no intelligence to suggest that an attack is imminent.”
The UK terror threat level was last raised to severe in January 2010, and was last raised to critical in June 2007.
The decision to raise the terror threat level comes amid reports of aspiring British jihadis travel to Iraq and Syria, and a week after a video emerged online showing the murder of American journalist James Foley by an apparently English jihadi.
Speaking shortly after the terror threat level was increased, David Cameron said IS poses “a greater and deeper threat to our security than we have ever known before”.
The Prime Minister warned that it was “becoming clear there are some gaps in our armoury, and we need to strengthen them. We need to do more to stop people travelling [abroad to fight]”.
Mr Cameron said he will make a statement in the house of commons on Monday where he will introduce new legislation to “make it easier to take people’s passports away”.
“We could be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member,” he added.
Foreign fighters
The murder of US journalist James Foley was “clear evidence – not that any more was needed – that this is not some far off (problem), thousands of miles away, that we can ignore”, he said.
Ms May said: “The increase in the threat level is related to developments in Syria and Iraq where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the west. Some of those plots are likely to involve foreign fighters who have travelled there from the UK and Europe to take part in those conflicts.
“The first and most important duty of government is the protection of the British people. We have already taken steps to improve our powers and increase our capabilities for dealing with the developing terrorist threats we face. That process will continue and the British public should be in no doubt that we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security.
“We face a real and serious threat in the UK from international terrorism. I would urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police.”
Threat levels
There are five levels of threat used by the JTAC. These are:
Critical - an attack is expected imminently.
Severe - an attack is highly likely.
Substantial - an attack is a strong possibility.
Moderate - an attack is possible but not likely.
Low - an attack is unlikely.