Terror threat is ‘real’ in the Highlands

THE Highlands’ top police officer has warned the region is not immune to the threat of terrorism, admitting they are monitoring people ‘of interest’ in the region.

Chief superintendent Julian Innes has claimed the risk was very real and has asked the public to be vigilant.

In June, counter terrorism police, along with a local imam, intervened when it was revealed a 19-year-old from Inverness had been radicalised, but was eventually stopped from travelling to Syria.

The police chief said: “People will often say an attack will never happen in the Highlands, but we do have people who are of interest to us in the area.

“So the threat is real and by talking to people locally we can make it real in the Highland context.

“This is not about alarming people – most of what we are doing is to show people what they can do to understand what the threat might be.”

He said support from the public would help combat the threat.

Chief superintendent Innes added: “They might see signs of someone being radicalised, it could be as simple as a change in someone’s behaviour. What people tend to think is it is about people in big cities, but anyone can be radicalised via the internet. We are in a different age.”

Dr Waheed Khan, a trustee of Inverness Mosque, helped make the teenager from the Highland capital who had been targeted realise his good fortune for being in a family who had sought help.

He said: “We are more than willing to help the police in any way. We live in a world where these things do happen. We have a role and responsibility to do what we can. Inverness is very save and one of the best cities to live in, but look at places like Dunblane and Lockerbie. Small towns where no one thought anything terrible would happen, but now they are on the map.”