BRITAIN is facing an increased threat of terrorism from Britons who have travelled to Somalia to fight alongside an Islamist militant group, the director-general of MI5 warned last night.
Jonathan Evans said he feared that it was “only a matter of time” before there were terror attacks in the UK inspired by British citizens and residents who had fought and trained with al-Shabaab.
In a rare speech, Mr Evans said that the security services were fighting the threat of terror attacks on more fronts than ever before, and warned that the British public were “deluding” themselves if they thought that the extremists would never be successful.
Speaking in the City of London, Mr Evans said that four or five “real plots” against Britain were regularly uncovered at any one time, which showed that there was a “persistent intent” by al-Qa’ida and its associates to carry out an atrocity. MI5 had found increasing threats from different areas, including Somalia, Pakistan and Yemen.
Dissident republicans in Northern Ireland were also increasing their attacks, Mr Evans said, and although they are not believed to have the capability to mount a sustained attack on the mainland, their membership was growing along with their ambition.
An al-Qa’ida affiliate in Yemen, which developed the underpants bomb used in an alleged attempt to blow up an aircraft over Detroit last Christmas, was of particular concern, as was the involvement of the Yemen-based preacher Anwar al-Awlaqi. “There is a real risk that one of his adherents will respond to his urging to violence and mount an attack in the UK,” Mr Evans said.
MI5 was also aware that some terrorists imprisoned in this country since 9/11 were shortly due for release. Many were still committed extremists who would have to be monitored.
Mr Evans said that Somalia – which showed “many of the characteristics that made Afghanistan so dangerous as a seedbed for terrorism” – had risen up the threat ranking in the past couple of years. He said that the training camps there were attracting would-be jihadists from across the world.
The director-general warned that the 2012 London Olympics posed a major security challenge, saying that among the eyes focused on the Games would be “some malign ones that will see an opportunity to gain notoriety and to inflict damage on the UK”.
Mr Evans said that the British public had adopted a view from America that terrorism was 100 per cent preventable, but this was “nonsensical”.
“The threat is diverse in both geographical [terms] and levels of skill involved but it is persistent and dangerous and trying to control it involves a continual invisible struggle,” he added.
“Counter-terrorist capabilities have improved in recent years but there remains a serious risk of a lethal attack taking place. I see no reason to believe that the position will significantly improve in the immediate future.”
The director-general strongly defended control orders, which are currently under threat, saying that they were a valuable tool when there was not enough evidence to prosecute.
He said that the Government could not “absolve itself of the responsibility to protect its citizens just because the criminal law cannot, in the particular circumstances, serve the purpose”.
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