News Digest

Police make ‘hundreds of arrests’ to foil deadly UK terrorist attacks

Police have foiled several potentially deadly attacks and arrested hundreds of suspected terrorists so far this year, Britain’s counter-terrorism chief has claimed. Mark Rowley - the UK’s National Policing Lead for Counter Terrorism - said officers were dealing with “exceptionally high” numbers of investigations and had been contacted by “dozens” of families concerned that loved ones may be planning to join jihadists in Syria or Iraq. Amid widespread fears over the influence of Islamic State (IS) terrorists, he revealed police have been taking down more than 1,000 pieces of extremist material from the internet each week, including videos of beheadings, torture and suicides.

So far this year we have made 218 arrests and are running exceptionally high numbers of counter-terrorism investigations, the likes of which we have not seen for several years.

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Rowley

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Rowley added: “Against an increasing operational tempo we are disrupting several attack plots a year. These plots are of varied sophistication, from individuals planning to carry out spontaneous yet deadly attacks to more complex conspiracies, almost all seemingly are either directed by or inspired by terrorism overseas.” Meanwhile, British jihadists who go to fight in Iraq or Syria could be tried for treason. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said such people had “sworn personal allegiance” to IS and could potentially have committed the offence.

Their actions are treachery against Her Majesty, and aiding and abetting enemies of Her Majesty is one of the greatest offences a British citizen can commit.

Tory MP Philip Hollobone