UK terror threat level raised to 'severe'
UK terror threat level raised to 'severe'
The UK's terror threat level has been raised from "substantial" to "severe" in response to conflicts in Iraq and Syria, Home Secretary Theresa May says.
Secretary May has stated that there is no evidence to suggest an imminent attack, which would increase the treat level to Critical, upon the UK, but the risk still remains as "highly likely".
While Secretary May's comments should bring some solace to the UK citizens, this threat is the second highest of five possible UK threat levels, and the last time the level was changed was in 2011 when the level was decreased to "substantial".
May stated that the decision to increase the threat level were made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which was created in 2003, is the UK's independent body for assessing terrorist activity at home and abroad and is made up of counter-terrorism experts from the police and other government department and agencies.
Prime Minister David Cameron believes that new legislation would allow for easier protection by taking passports from people abroad to fight.
Mr. Cameron also said, in a Downing Street press conference on Friday, that Islamic State (IS) extremists represented a "greater and deeper threat to our security than we have known before".
Cameron also stated that the "threat is growing" due to at least 500 Britons traveling to fight with IS in Syria and possibly Iraq.
The suspected British jihadist, who has yet to be identified, who murdered US journalist James Foley, as appearing on IS footage, was "clear evidence - not that any more was needed - that this is not some far-off [problem], thousands of miles away, that we can ignore" according to Cameron.
Cameron stated that people "should continue to go about our lives in the normal way" without giving to much insight into the effect of the threat level change.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the
The UK's terror threat level has been raised from "substantial" to "severe" in response to conflicts in Iraq and Syria, Home Secretary Theresa May says.
Secretary May has stated that there is no evidence to suggest an imminent attack, which would increase the treat level to Critical, upon the UK, but the risk still remains as "highly likely".
While Secretary May's comments should bring some solace to the UK citizens, this threat is the second highest of five possible UK threat levels, and the last time the level was changed was in 2011 when the level was decreased to "substantial".
May stated that the decision to increase the threat level were made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which was created in 2003, is the UK's independent body for assessing terrorist activity at home and abroad and is made up of counter-terrorism experts from the police and other government department and agencies.
Prime Minister David Cameron believes that new legislation would allow for easier protection by taking passports from people abroad to fight.
Mr. Cameron also said, in a Downing Street press conference on Friday, that Islamic State (IS) extremists represented a "greater and deeper threat to our security than we have known before".
Cameron also stated that the "threat is growing" due to at least 500 Britons traveling to fight with IS in Syria and possibly Iraq.
The suspected British jihadist, who has yet to be identified, who murdered US journalist James Foley, as appearing on IS footage, was "clear evidence - not that any more was needed - that this is not some far-off [problem], thousands of miles away, that we can ignore" according to Cameron.
Cameron stated that people "should continue to go about our lives in the normal way" without giving to much insight into the effect of the threat level change.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the