UK terror threat level upgraded to ‘severe’
Risk of atrocity in the UK deemed ‘highly likely’ following recent killings in Paris, Nice and Vienna
Britain’s terrorism threat level has been raised to “severe” ahead of the national lockdown and following the Paris, Nice and Vienna atrocities.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said upgrading the threat level from “substantial” was a “precautionary measure” after the “horrific” terror attacks in Austria and France left eight people dead. The decision by the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre means an attack in the UK is now “highly likely”.
THE UK’S terrorism threat level has been raised to “severe” ahead of tomorrow’s national lockdown and following the Paris, Nice and Vienna atrocities.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said upgrading the threat level from “substantial” was a “precautionary measure” after the “horrific” terror attacks in Austria and France left eight people dead.
The decision by the independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre means an attack in the UK is now “highly likely”, although the Home Secretary said there was no intelligence of any “specific threat” and the public should be “alert but not alarmed”.
The new threat level is likely to remain in place for months rather than weeks. Security sources said they feared the attacks in Nice and Vienna could have a “galvanising” effect on potential terrorists and could create their own “momentum”.
The attacks in Vienna by a 20-yearold Islamist, who shot dead two men and two women, and in Nice, where a 29-year- old Tunisian stabbed three people to death, both came ahead of national lockdowns. They followed the beheading of a Paris teacher in a terror attack on Oct 16.
Neil Basu, UK head of Counter
Terrorism Policing, said extra officers would be posted to key “at risk” sites, more police would be on the streets, and other “security and protection measures” would be implemented. Jewish leaders said that security at places of worship was being reviewed.
The threat level was last raised from “substantial” to “severe” in Aug 2014 as the rise of Isil in Syria and Iraq fuelled terrorism worldwide. It remained at “severe” until Nov 3 2019.
The move comes as police, councils and hospitals have been put on alert to prepare for a “perfect storm” winter crisis where multiple disasters combine with the Covid-19 pandemic to stretch emergency services to the limit.
The Cabinet Office has ordered local contingency plans across the UK to be reviewed to prepare for hospitals bearing the extra burden of winter flu, floods coming from predicted stormy weather, a surge in cyber attacks, potential fuel or other shortages from Brexit and a terror attack.
Officials want assessments from local resilience f orums – multi-agency groups of emergency services, councils and NHS – of whether the UK’S infrastructure could cope with multiple disasters on top of the pandemic.
Police chiefs also fear a rise in public disorder over the continued imposition of restrictions.
“What is causing concern and worrying us is protest and disorder in relation to lockdown not just in London but also across the UK. There is so much fatigue in relation to the restrictions that some of that anger is starting to come to the fore,” the source said.