‘NO SAFE SPACES FOR TERRORISTS’ – UK REVEALS STRATEGY
▶ Government says classified material will be shared in pursuit of potential offenders on fringes of extremist plots
Britain’s intelligence services are to share classified material about potential terrorists as part of a new strategy to confront a heightened threat after a year of attacks that left 36 people dead.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid will unveil the UK’s upgraded counter-terrorism blueprint amid concerns that officials are struggling to cope with the scale of the threat, with 500 ongoing operations in place.
The long-awaited announcement came amid an anticipated spike this year in the number of people being released after serving time in jail for terrorist offences. Government critics say that cuts to services will make it harder to track potential re-offenders after their release.
Those due to be released this year include Anjem Choudary, 51, a notorious hate preacher, who was jailed in 2016 after urging Muslims to join ISIS after years of inflammatory comments that did not breach any laws.
“It’s a concern,” security minister Ben Wallace told the BBC. “What we’re seeing is a large group of people who have effectively crossed the Rubicon to become radicalised.
“We have to move resources to make them disengage ... which is different from deterring them in the first place.”
The current threat level to Britain is severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. The government said it had foiled 12 extremist plots since March last year. Officials said that the threat posed is expected to remain high over the next couple of years.
Current investigations involve about 3,000 “subjects of interest” and there are more than 20,000 who have been previously investigated and who could again pose a threat.
Salman Abedi, who killed 22 people in a suicide bomb attack in May last year, was categorised as a “closed subject of interest” at the time of his attack.
The new strategy due to be announced yesterday includes plans to pass on information to businesses and agencies about those at the fringes of terrorist plots to give an early warning of potential attack plans. The strategy will seek help from van hire companies after a series of attacks using vehicles in London, and from the sellers of chemicals that could be used for bomb-making.
The proposals are likely to spark human rights concerns that individuals who may only be connected to a terrorist through a phone call could be unfairly targeted by the authorities.
“I see the very latest intelligence, and it’s very clear that there has been a step change in the threat from terrorism,” Mr Javid was due to say in his speech, according to information released by his department.
“Ultimately, our approach is about ensuring that there are no safe spaces for terrorists. No safe spaces internationally, in the UK or online.”
The strategy will include proposals to improve security in crowded places, reduce the vulnerability of infrastructure and seek to tap expertise in the private sector to use technology to improve detection.
Previous research has shown the amount of time it takes from conceiving a plan to carrying it out has reduced significantly, making it harder for security services and police to crack down on terrorists.