A murderous menace we must confront

WE ARE ceaselessly urged to be vigilant against the danger of terror. Our security services assure us that they are on guard against the ever-present menace.

Yet their words simply do not match their actions. The Mail on Sunday reveals today that the most basic precautions are not being taken against people whose actions must put them at the top of any list of terrorist threats.

Just 14 of 400 identified battle-experienced fanatics who have returned to Britain after fighting for Islamic State have been prosecuted. That is a miserable one out of every 30.

The Government offers the excuse that decisions to prosecute are taken by the Crown Prosecution Service, not by Ministers, but surely the CPS cannot be unaware of the role played by former jihadis in terror outrages across Europe?

Other excuses also shrivel under examination. Perhaps some of these returning fighters have been turned and are now helping the security services or the police. But not 29 out of every 30. As for the once-famous Terrorist Prevention and Investigation Measures introduced in 2011 to keep suspected terrorists under surveillance, we learned recently that these were hardly being used at all.

If this many people are strongly and reasonably suspected of serious criminal offences, there is no excuse for failing to investigate, arrest and prosecute them. It is hard to think of a more important priority for those entrusted with our safety.