MI5 to share terror tip-offs with teachers

MI5 will inform police officers, head teachers and social workers about terror suspects in an effort to disrupt plots and turn people away from extremism.

Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, will today announce a counter-terror strategy to help address the “step-change in terrorism” after a series of “sickening” attacks last year claimed 36 lives.

Speaking yesterday, on the anniversary of the London Bridge attack, Mr Javid highlighted a review that found that some of those involved in last year’s attacks were known to MI5.

He said that the security service had “learnt lessons” and would in future share information with “other organisations”, including local authorities, schools and front-line police officers.

They will offer people support to help deradicalise them and inform the security services if their behaviour becomes an issue of concern.

The security services are handling more than 500 live operations involving 3,000 “subjects of interest”, while a further 20,000 individuals known to the services could pose a threat. The strategy, called Contest, will also see the Government demand that companies such as Amazon do more to alert the authorities about suspicious purchases. Salman Abedi, the Manchester bomber, was reportedly able to buy materials for his device through Amazon with no security checks.

Mr Javid will say: “The biggest threat is from Islamist terrorism – including al-qaeda, but particularly from Daesh [another name for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]. But the threat doesn’t

only come from Daesh. Ultimately, our approach is about ensuring that there are no safe spaces for terrorists. No safe spaces internationally, in the UK or online.”

Mr Javid will also defend the Government’s Prevent programme, which aims to deradicalise extremists but has been heavily criticised by Labour. “We have a moral and social obligation to protect and support vulnerable people from the twisted propaganda of those seeking to radicalise them and Prevent is about doing just that,” he will say.

The Home Secretary yesterday criticised the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which has said that the Conservatives have a problem with Islamophobia.

He told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “The Muslim Council of Britain does not represent Muslims in this country. You find me a group of Muslims that thinks that they’re represented by the MCB.

“I would be very suspicious of anything they’ve got to say, not least because under the last Labour government and a policy continued by us, we don’t deal with the MCB and we don’t deal with it because too many of their members have had comments on extremists and that’s not acceptable.”

The MCB accused Mr Javid of “shooting the messenger”.