We need action on terror, not platitudes

AFTER every one of the recent terror attacks, we’ve heard the same old stream of stale platitudes from our political masters.

‘The terrorists will never prevail. The community must band together. Police and MI5 will have all the tools they need. Our thoughts go out to victims. Normal life must go on. Stay vigilant...’ It’s all starting to sound like a cracked record.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s reaction to the Parsons Green outrage was typical. He condemned ‘the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us’, then added: ‘We will never be intimidated by terrorism.’

Well the Mail has news for Mr Khan. The men of violence are not just attempting to harm us – they are succeeding. And perhaps he’d like to explain to the people who were burned and traumatised at Parsons Green why they shouldn’t feel intimidated.

We now understand that at least one of the bomb suspects arrived in this country as an unaccompanied minor seeking asylum and was placed in foster care.

Further inquiries by the Mail reveal that there are a staggering 4,210 asylum-seeking juveniles in council care across Britain – double the figure for 2015. The vast majority are males aged between 16 and 18.

Of course, many have suffered appalling tragedy and no one is suggesting they are all potential radicals. But Friday’s outrage emphasises the fact that some could be.

Farming them out to foster parents or finding them temporary accommodation is simply not enough on its own. For their own protection, these highly vulnerable young people should be closely monitored for signs of radicalisation. So instead of blithely telling us to keep calm and carry on, here is something politicians could actually do to make us all feel safer.