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Police, Counter Terrorism and Terror Threats in Britain

Reader comment on item: Britain's New Export: Islamist Carnage
in response to reader comment: UK jihadi networks

Submitted by Musa Khan Jalalzai (United Kingdom), May 14, 2012 at 14:11

Updated on May 14, 2012 by Musa Khan Jalalzai

Police,Counter Terrorism and Terror Threats in Britain.

Every terrorist attack serves many tactical goals and the purpose of terror attacks can be both internal and external. The underground links of the UK terror groups across the border and their nature of activities can be judged from the recent arrest of some extremist elements in their revelations. The networks of al Qaeda inspired home grown terrorist groups remain a critical threat to the national security of the country. Britain's most talented security agencies, MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are running behind these networks and monitoring communication around them.

Last week, police arrested four Northern Ireland suspected dissidents while three men and a woman were also detained in Toome county Antrim and Pomeroy and other places and questioned in a local police station. Dissidents in Northern Ireland have re-emerged with new terror tactics. On April 6, 2012, Belfast Telegraph reported army bomb disposal experts defused a small bomb in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and the citizens in this province vote for election and enjoy the same rights like citizens of other provinces.

On 28 April 2012, Guardian reported police patrol discovered 27kg bomb inside Van in border town of Newry. Moreover, Sky news reported this potentially lethal car bomb was aimed at killing police officers. Before these incidents, on 9 April, 2012, police arrested six men after they threatened to kill more policemen and soldiers.

In April 2011, Real IRA had already claimed the murder of PC Ronan Kerr. The newly formed Real IRA soon replaced the continuity IRA as the home for dissidents. The conflict in Northern Ireland is ultimately sectarian because since 1969, the conflict has been a religious war and religion has been the point of contention. The Province is now in peace as Ireland and England have worked closely to stem terrorism and political conflict in Northern Ireland and throughout the British Isles.

We have numerous news reports about the British extremist elements convicted in several terror acts as Britain based terror groups have strong presence in Africa, Central, South and Southeast Asia. Their training facilities and recruitment of their members is a bigger threat to peace and stability in Europe. There are thousands suspected al Qaeda linked extremists who fought in Asia and African from 1994 to 2011. The strategy they adopted in Europe is different from the strategy of their countries of origin. They are more violent here compared to their home countries as they enjoy religious and political freedom. They are fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Pakistan's civil wars.

This misunderstood way of religious practice badly affected the reputation of Islam and its true followers. From 1999 to 2011, more than one hundred extremists who committed terror related crime were convicted in the United Kingdom. At present, Police is operating in a difficult environment and the recent pressure on UK Border Agency in airports has further exuberated in their frustration.

The 9th May 2012 demonstration in London by police was a culmination of more than a year of increasing tension between the government and the police over the recent reforms. Police officers are angry over the issue of cuts and other benefits. According to the police federation more than 30,000 of its members participated in protest. Home office figure shows that more than 6,000 police officers have been spared. The past experience of police low quality performance and some flaws in immigration system compelled home office to bring some changes in the policing strategies.

The depth and breadth of the terrorist threat in the country have now become a hot topic of debates. The police department experience frustration, job loss and public criticism. Their relation with the present government and bureaucracy are not friendlier. Their complaints of salaries, hours-long duty and frustration need considerable attention. Criticizing the police force and their tactical mistakes is not the solution. We must bear in mind that under the UK counter terrorism strategy, police forces contribute to twenty one key work-streams and forty two key actions.

Metropolitan Police Service's Counter Terrorism command (SO15) is playing vital role in countering terror and extremist threats while special branch has a brilliant history of tackling these issues. According to the Police Foundation (2009) report: "The growing notoriety of al Qaeda coupled with the US invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, increased numbers of recruits and encouraged various other violent Islamist groups and individuals to adopt al Qaeda philosophy." Experts understand that violent extremist groups in UK follow the same philosophy.

As we understand intelligence is vital for effective counterterrorism because it stops and undermines planned attacks. The UK Counter Terrorism Command or SO15 is a specialist operation branch within the police department. Though this force is still young but gained a lot of experience in countering terror threats. Another most competent intelligence organization is Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JIAC) which counters and analyzes terrorism within the United Kingdom. National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) advises the government on its counter terrorism strategy.

To effectively counter the threat of violent extremism in the country, another police organization (NETCU) has been tackling the issue intelligently. In Britain, there are innumerable policing agencies in the field but their way of intelligence gathering, surveillance and infiltration is different.

Having retrieved vital proof about the terror threat, the technique of information process is very important thing. As we know intelligence is information or classified information, but processing information is a difficult task. Anyhow, as the Olympic and Paralympics approaches, police needs to keep in contact with communities and concentrate on the issue of law and order in the country. As in the past, we again say The United Kingdom will face more terror threats, incidents and violence in near future.

The writer is author of Policing in Multicultural Britain, can be reached at: zai.musakhan222@gmail.com

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Reader comments (71) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
UK jihadi networks [1107 words]musa Khan JalalzaiJan 15, 2011 09:57181816
1There is no distortion [19 words]ItinirantViewJan 31, 2012 13:36181816
Police, Counter Terrorism and Terror Threats in Britain [984 words]Musa Khan JalalzaiMay 14, 2012 14:11181816
3Male Prostitution in Afghanistan [1004 words]Musa Khan JalalzaiMay 14, 2012 14:14181816
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2Punjabi taliban networks in UK [916 words]Musa Khan JalalzaiNov 17, 2010 12:44180115
terror threat in UK [33 words]musa khan jalalzaiJan 11, 2011 14:54180115
3WAKE UP WEST [76 words]menodhimmiSep 10, 2010 18:10178020
Whose America is this? [332 words]Sandra L. JohnsonAug 30, 2010 17:23177468
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3Mongol Descendants in United Kingdom [295 words]Muslimk***Aug 24, 2010 12:51177201
1London is full of Iranians [41 words]Zari NamdarAug 14, 2010 02:10176678
3Perfidous Albion [73 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDAug 11, 2010 10:00176607
1UK did not back down to Nasser [69 words]timAug 14, 2010 18:04176607
2Historical claims [139 words]yuval Brandstetter MDAug 17, 2010 14:59176607
Israel and the Suez Canal [113 words]Nenette GrunbergSep 3, 2010 10:34176607
3What a small weapon is truth against the oil millions [374 words]BobAug 10, 2010 03:35176548
1Islam and Demography [57 words]BernieAug 10, 2010 17:34176548
Islam's Embrace of Oppression [363 words]Arlinda DeAngelisSep 21, 2010 15:02176548
I used to work at the UK Home Office - there is something utterly rotten here [99 words]KatabasisAug 8, 2010 06:20176482
Britain's New Export Islamist Carnage. Its all about Dominance! [157 words]AnneAug 5, 2010 18:56176401
Cameron is not that bad [72 words]AshAug 5, 2010 12:51176387
1Cameron is as bad as all the others .. [274 words]MagnaEstVeritasJul 22, 2011 10:30176387
3Islamic terrorism is an automatic assembly line powered by fundamentalism [337 words]TedAug 4, 2010 22:25176354
most terrorists that operate in uk have the best of education and jobs [135 words]nazia khanAug 30, 2010 11:07176354
"proper muslim" [22 words]tomAug 31, 2010 00:54176354
2Please pardon my simpleness, . . . but shouldn't we be banning all muslims from coming here. [104 words]Phil GreendAug 4, 2010 22:21176353
2REPLY TO MR PHIL GREEND COMMENT [19 words]Nenette GrunbergSep 1, 2010 18:08176353
1How long O Lord, How long ? [74 words]Michael SherbourneAug 4, 2010 14:50176337
Reply to Michael Sherbourne [40 words]hewyxxAug 5, 2010 10:16176337
Advertisements and image [103 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Yehuda Ben AsherAug 4, 2010 14:10176336
Ads do undemine the message [74 words]Bill M.Aug 5, 2010 13:17176336
Good to know. Thank you Mr. Asher! [19 words]kmanAug 10, 2010 23:24176336
Do not kow tow to their twisted and biased ideologies! [149 words]DEBORAH THE JUDGEAug 16, 2010 23:34176336
What are we doing about it [27 words]Elaine langsnerAug 4, 2010 13:51176334
DEPORTATION OF ISLAM FROM UK TO USA [486 words]Nenette GrunbergAug 3, 2010 19:50176292
To a knowledgeableone [144 words]Plain old AmericanAug 30, 2010 20:55176292
MY REPLY TO PLAIN OLD AMERICAN [124 words]Nenette GrunbergAug 31, 2010 19:07176292
Survival instinccts on the wane!!! [267 words]JaladhiSep 1, 2010 18:19176292
2Not Quite at the Root of the Problem? [394 words]Ron ThompsonAug 3, 2010 17:38176287
Take note of Brigitte Gabriel, also ... [63 words]kmanAug 3, 2010 21:34176287
1Population of Britain [34 words]Mr JonesAug 3, 2010 23:00176287
Islam is but one of the poblems [120 words]Edmund Onward JamesAug 4, 2010 14:55176287
Numbers [21 words]GeneAug 9, 2010 09:46176287
Are we actually going to see "militant" problems - ? [125 words]kmanAug 9, 2010 19:46176287
1Roots of Jaded Ideology [745 words]M. ToveySep 2, 2010 16:24176287
We desparately need a Churchill. [88 words]batya daganAug 3, 2010 16:01176284
"Our president" is importing over 60,000 Hamas to our country [18 words]kmanAug 3, 2010 21:26176284
Make it the Right Thing and it might get done [92 words]Alain Jean-MairetAug 3, 2010 15:56176283
1British ruling elites love Pakistanis----WHY????? [251 words]SusanAug 3, 2010 14:24176281
You, Susan, have a rare grip on reality ... [59 words]kmanAug 3, 2010 21:20176281
Or else [186 words]UgriAug 4, 2010 12:44176281
1A vacuum to fill? [285 words]SusanAug 4, 2010 23:40176281
2Pakistan and aid [77 words]johnAug 5, 2010 10:22176281
As usual, Susan, well said! I would add ... [53 words]kmanAug 9, 2010 20:03176281
A groan [184 words]Peter HerzAug 13, 2010 16:11176281
Why?? [16 words]Larry B.Aug 14, 2010 13:33176281
to Susan [65 words]ASAug 31, 2010 06:35176281
2I am Totally With You [95 words]AnonAug 31, 2010 12:17176281
Obvious to the rest of us [55 words]JimmyAug 3, 2010 11:48176279
1Turning a blind eye [48 words]Rebecca MouldsAug 3, 2010 10:44176276
"How?" - indifference, cowardice, and addiction to the "good life". [26 words]kmanAug 3, 2010 21:13176276
15Don't hold your breath [469 words]Arn HatfieldAug 3, 2010 07:10176269
Let's call it like it is ...cowardice [438 words]kmanAug 3, 2010 21:09176269
1million dollar question - my take [101 words]mythAug 5, 2010 06:52176269
2066 - ? Nowhere near that long. [17 words]kmanAug 9, 2010 20:06176269
a small weapon, the Schengen treaty, the islamist next door [171 words]mythAug 3, 2010 06:34176267
Britain's New Export: Islamist Carnage [22 words]ChassAug 9, 2010 20:22176267

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