200 terror plots in Europe last year – and half target UK

MORE than 200 terrorist attacks were planned in Europe last year with over half of them aimed at targets in the UK.

The number of Islamist plots almost trebled in a single year from 13 to 33, accounting for a minority of the total but almost all of the 68 deaths and 844 injuries within the EU.

There were a far greater number of smaller-scale terror plots by nationalist and separatist groups, surging from 99 in 2016 to 137 last year.

Figures released by the law enforcement agency Europol revealed that were 205 successful, foiled or failed attacks within the European Union. That was up 45 per cent from 142 plots in 2016.

Britain had by far the highest number with 107, but this included 88 securityrelated incidents in Northern Ireland mostly carried out by dissident Republicans, including IRA splinter groups.

UK terror plots which went ahead included the vehicle-and-knife rampages at Westminster and London Bridge in March and June, the suicide bombing at a Manchester pop concert in May, the vehicle attack at Finsbury Park Mosque in June and the attempted bombing at Parsons Green station in September. Those five attacks killed 36 people and left more than 200 injured.

Including those that were foiled or failed, there were 14 jihadist-related plots in the UK and five by white supremacists. Of the 88 separate incidents in Northern Ireland, 58 involved shootings and 30 had been bomb plots.

There were 975 arrests for terrorism-related offences across Europe, down from 1,002 in 2016. Around 70 per cent were for jihadist plots or incidents, including planning and preparing attacks or spreading propaganda and recruiting for or financing extremist groups.

Europol said jihadi plots had become more frequent but were less sophisticated. They were more likely to involve knives or vehicles, making them harder to detect and stop than bomb strikes and shootings.

Jihadis had a ‘preference for attacking people to provoke an emotional response from the general public’, said the report. ‘Symbols of Western lifestyle’, such as the Ariana Grande pop concert at Manchester Arena, were also key targets. Most plotters were home- grown extremists radicalised in their own countries and new attacks were ‘highly likely’ despite the collapse of Islamic State in the Middle East.

More than 150 social media platforms had been used by terrorists to spread propaganda, says the report. ‘Online propaganda continues to be an essential part of jihadist terrorist attempts to reach out to EU audiences for recruitment, radicalisation and fundraising,’ it added.

A rise in right-wing extremism in Europe had been ‘ partly fuelled by fears of a perceived Islamisation of society and anxiety over migration’.

Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle said of the statistics: ‘We must never forget that behind every number, there is an innocent victim.’

Sir Julian King, British European commissioner for security, said the report showed Europe was still a target for terrorists.

He added: ‘We need to keep our collective eye on the ball, and strengthen our efforts at EU level to deny terrorists the means they need to carry out attacks including arms, explosives and funding.’

It was also vital to ‘continue to tackle radicalisation and all types of violent extremism’.

Earlier this month Home Secretary Sajid Javid unveiled radical plans to bolster the war on terror and keep the public safe.

They include MI5 sharing more information about suspects with local police, longer sentences for terror offences and demanding that online giants including Google and Facebook do more to tackle extremist content.

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are also to recruit up to 2,000 more spies to keep tabs on potential terrorists, while police and security services will get tough new powers to arrest suspects before they can act on their plans.

‘We must keep our eyes on the ball’