New cash for technology to identify terrorists

Ministers have launched a hunt for new technology to identify possible terrorists in crowds.

Up to £2 million is to be made available to fund research into techniques that could boost efforts to protect citizens from bomb or gun attacks.

The government hopes the scheme will yield new methods that will improve the surveillance and detection of potential threats in crowds.

It comes after Britain was hit by a flurry of attacks launched in locations where large numbers of people were present.

Counter-terrorist agencies are running 500 investigations involving 3,000 individuals at any one time.

Security minister Ben Wallace will announce the new funding today. He is expected to say: “The government has committed to review its counter-terror strategy and further to this I am announcing today that we are making up to £2m available to fund research into cutting-edge technology and behavioural science projects designed to keep people safe in crowds.

“The threat from terror does not stand still so neither will we, which is why we are calling on the best and the brightest from the science and technology sector to come forward with their ideas and proposals to support our ongoing work to keep people safe.”