Machine-gun-carrying pairs of police were on patrol at London main line rail termini as the threat level from international terrorism was changed on Friday, August 29 from substantial to severe. That came in response to the developments in Syria and Iraq and means it is highly likely that a terrorist attack could happen in the UK, the authorities reported.
This is the first time in three years that the threat to the UK has been at this level, the Prime Minister David Cameron said in a press statement.
National Policing Lead for Counter-Terrorism, Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: “We therefore continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to police. We need communities and families to bring to our attention anyone they perceive may be vulnerable, a danger or escalating towards terrorism. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.
“Public safety is our priority and we have a variety of established operational tactics that are regularly used to ensure that the UK is both well prepared and protected. Over the years we have built capabilities and enhanced our security arrangements against a consistently high level of threat. Much of this is already in place. Our aim is to reduce the risk to the public and we keep our security arrangements under constant review in line with the threat we face.
“We have activated the established planning mechanisms across the police service, coordinated by me as National Policing Lead on Counter Terrorism. This will lead to enhanced prevention and preparedness.
“From this afternoon we will begin to increase our levels of visible patrols and implement other security and protection measures. We will also build on existing community relations to provide reassurance and seek their support and assistance in keeping the UK safe.”
On August 26 Rowley made a statement appealing to the public, family members and friends to help identify aspiring terrorists; whether they may be about to travel abroad, have just returned or be showing signs of becoming radicalised.
He said: “The biggest growth in Syrian related investigations has occurred in London and the West Midlands. The growth of dangerous individuals poses challenges for policing, especially when nearly half of Syria travellers of concern were not known as terrorist risks previously.”
Police meanwhile are working to have extremist material removed from the internet wherever it is found, to promote alternative messages and to disrupt the work of extremist speakers and terrorist recruiters, prosecuting wherever appropriate. In the last four years the Met Counter Terrorism Internet Referal Unit has instigated the removal of over 45,000 pieces of online content, Rowley said, including on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
ISIS and the west
In an article on the RUSI website, Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Research Fellow at the defence and security think-tank said: “It is clear that ISIS is a menace that leaders rightly focus on. It has the potential to upend the Middle East and cause death and misery to thousands. But it is not as of yet clear that it is a group with the desire and intent to launch itself against the West and Europe in particular. It has the means at its disposal to launch such attacks and has rhetorically threatened such attacks, but so far we have not seen these clearly materialise.”
For the full article visit the RUSI (Royal United Services Institute) website – https://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C53F5F2CF43C19/#.VAQMfRZa9Hg.
