The number of UK citizens and westerners travelling to fight in foreign conflicts has reached alarming levels unlike anything seen in recent years, according to a committee of MPs. Home Affairs Committee called for an immediate response targeted at dissuading and preventing those who wish to go to fight from going; helping countries who are key to intercepting those who are entering Syria, and ensuring those who return do not present a danger to the UK.
As for what returned fighters might do and where, the MPs said that all police forces should ensure that local shopping centres have received the British Council of Shopping Centres guidance and put in place and test a response plan. Committee MPs visited Kenya and visited the site of the Westgate shopping centre where terrorists killed scores of people. Their report said: “The devastation caused by the acts of terrorism that day highlight the need for vigilance on the part of the public and private enterprise. Terrorists can strike anywhere and previous terrorist plots in the UK have focused on shopping centres (including planned attacks on Bluewater and the Trafford Centre). The National Counter Terrorism Security Office has produced Counter Terrorism Protective Security Advice for Shopping Centres.
“Both members of the public and those in private enterprises have to ensure that vigilance is constant, this is especially important in areas where crowds of people congregate. Those in charge of areas visited by high numbers of people (such as shopping centres) must ensure that they have adequate security, surveillance and response plans. Ensuring public safety cannot be the sole purview of the counter- terrorism command and the security service, it is a responsibility in which all UK citizens and companies take a share. We note that the British Council of Shopping Centres have updated their guidance following the Westgate attack. We recommend that all police forces ensure that local shopping centres have received this guidance and put in place and test a response plan.”
MPs said that they are alarmed by the relative ease by which foreign fighters appear to be able to cross the border into Syria. It is the responsibility of the international community to assist transit countries, and the UK must offer practical support to those countries in securing their borders. The Home Affairs Committee said it had been impressed by the efforts made to prevent football hooliganism in foreign countries by sending “spotters” to help pick out those at risk of committing criminal acts and believe similar practical help would be beneficial in the fight against terrorism.
The committee added that the Government needs a clear strategy for dealing with foreign fighters on their return, which may include help to come to terms with the violence they have witnessed and participated in, as well as counter-radicalisation interventions. We are concerned that their experiences may well make them vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder thereby increasing their vulnerability to radicalisation. For the report in full visit – http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmhaff/231/23102.htm
What they say
Keith Vaz, Labour MP and chairman of the committee said: “Recent events involving Boko Haram, Al-Shabab and Al Qaeda show that the terrorist threat to the UK is as grave as at any point in the past 13 years. The international community must act as one to tackle this global problem. Interpol have the resources and experience to build a platform and the UK must take the lead in bringing others to the table. However, ensuring public safety cannot be the sole purview of the counterterrorism command and the security service, it is a responsibility in which all UK citizens and companies take a share. Stopping British men and women going to become foreign fighters, in Syria and other theatres of conflict, and engaging with them when they return is vital to avoid endangering the security of the UK for many years to come. Whether in classrooms, local community centres, or through the global reach of the internet and social media, a clear message needs to be sent to those at risk. Fighting in Syria is not the answer and without the Government helping peer led projects to tackle this problem many more may be lost to radicalisation.
“The current system of oversight is designed to scrutinise the work of George Smiley not the 21st Century reality of the security and intelligence services. The agencies are at the cutting edge of sophistication and are owed an equally refined system of democratic scrutiny. It is an embarrassing indictment of our system that some in the media felt compelled to publish leaked information to ensure that matters were heard in Parliament. The Intelligence and Security Committee should be given a democratic mandate in the same way as other Select Committees. We will then be able to robustly defend our methods of scrutiny and better serve those who protect us, and the public.”
The committee report recommended that responsibility for counter-terror (CT) policing move from the Metropolitan Police to the National Crime Agency (NCA). The police body ACPO took issue, in a statement issued on behalf of Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM) Board consisting of Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, Chief Constable Sara Thornton, Chief Constable Peter Fahy, Chief Constable Chris Sims,Chief Constable Mark Gilmore, Chief Constable Matt Baggott and Chief Constable Stephen House. It said CT policing has well established and extremely effective mechanisms for protecting the public. As part of its inquiry, the Committee received written and oral evidence from the police and wider stakeholders that recognised the strength of existing arrangements.
“We are therefore concerned that the Committee has recommended that responsibility for CT policing should be moved to the NCA; a decision that does not appear to supported by the evidence and is based on an apparent misunderstanding of the role played by the Metropolitan Police Service. CT policing is not directed through a single lead force but rather has responsibility vested in nine chief constables across the UK in areas where the threat is considered to be the greatest. These chief constables act collaboratively and effectively on behalf of all forces, while at the same time maintaining close and critical links into local policing.
“The nature of the terrorist threat means that links between the international arena and the streets of our neighbourhoods are a vital feature of our current system, admired and respected by other countries. Our continued success relies heavily on front-line policing, whereby local police officers work closely with their communities every day, not least to be able to support those people who may be vulnerable to the risks of radicalisation. We are able to gather information from the public because they have confidence in local policing and we work hard to ensure that the enforcement activity we take is carried out in such a way that we can maintain public confidence. The scale of our effort is illustrated by the large number of ongoing investigative operations, including those relating to Syria. Over the last two years alone there have been in the region of 400 terror-related arrests resulting in 80 individuals being charged.
“The Home Secretary has previously confirmed that she will conduct a review of CT structures. We welcome any such review and look forward to participating fully and constructively in it. We believe that any decision to move away from the existing broad, collaborative arrangements must be based on rigorous evidence and analysis. Only then can we conclude, and agree with confidence, the best model for CT policing.”
