UK Counter-Terrorism (merged thread) [Archive]

SWJED

11-10-2006, 03:13 PM

Speech by the Director of the Security Service (http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page568.html), Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, at Queen Mary's College, 9 November 2006:

... I speak not as a politician, nor as a pundit, but as someone who has been an intelligence professional for 32 years...

We now know that the first Al-Qaida-related plot against the UK was the one we discovered and disrupted in November 2000 in Birmingham. A British citizen is currently serving a long prison sentence for plotting to detonate a large bomb in the UK. Let there be no doubt about this: the international terrorist threat to this country is not new. It began before Iraq, before Afghanistan, and before 9/11.

In the years after 9/11, with atrocities taking place in Madrid, Casablanca, Bali, Istanbul and elsewhere, terrorists plotted to mount a string of attacks in the UK, but were disrupted...

Last month the Lord Chancellor said that there were a total of 99 defendants awaiting trial in 34 cases. Of course the presumption of innocence applies and the law dictates that nothing must be said or done which might prejudice the right of a defendant to receive a fair trial...

What I can say is that today, my officers and the police are working to contend with some 200 groupings or networks, totalling over 1600 identified individuals (and there will be many we don't know) who are actively engaged in plotting, or facilitating, terrorist acts here and overseas. The extremists are motivated by a sense of grievance and injustice driven by their interpretation of the history between the West and the Muslim world. This view is shared, in some degree, by a far wider constituency. If the opinion polls conducted in the UK since July 2005 are only broadly accurate, over 100,000 of our citizens consider that the July 2005 attacks in London were justified.

What we see at the extreme end of the spectrum are resilient networks, some directed from Al-Qaida in Pakistan, some more loosely inspired by it, planning attacks including mass casualty suicide attacks in the UK. Today we see the use of home-made improvised explosive devices; tomorrow's threat may include the use of chemicals, bacteriological agents, radioactive materials and even nuclear technology. More and more people are moving from passive sympathy towards active terrorism through being radicalised or indoctrinated by friends, families, in organised training events here and overseas, by images on television, through chat rooms and websites on the Internet.

The propaganda machine is sophisticated and Al-Qaida itself says that 50% of its war is conducted through the media. In Iraq, attacks are regularly videoed and the footage downloaded onto the Internet within 30 minutes. Virtual media teams then edit the result, translate it into English and many other languages, and package it for a worldwide audience. And, chillingly, we see the results here. Young teenagers being groomed to be suicide bombers.

We are aware of numerous plots to kill people and to damage our economy. What do I mean by numerous? Five? Ten? No, nearer thirty - that we know of. These plots often have links back to Al-Qaida in Pakistan and through those links Al-Qaida gives guidance and training to its largely British foot soldiers here on an extensive and growing scale. And it is not just the UK of course. Other countries also face a new terrorist threat: from Spain to France to Canada and Germany...

But just consider this. A terrorist spectacular would cost potentially thousands of lives and do major damage to the world economy. Imagine if a plot to bring down several passenger aircraft succeeded. Thousands dead, major economic damage, disruption across the globe. And Al-Qaida is an organisation without restraint.

There has been much speculation about what motivates young men and women to carry out acts of terrorism in the UK. My Service needs to understand the motivations behind terrorism to succeed in countering it, as far as that is possible. Al-Qaida has developed an ideology which claims that Islam is under attack, and needs to be defended.

This is a powerful narrative that weaves together conflicts from across the globe, presenting the West's response to varied and complex issues, from long-standing disputes such as Israel/Palestine and Kashmir to more recent events as evidence of an across-the-board determination to undermine and humiliate Islam worldwide. Afghanistan, the Balkans, Chechnya, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Kashmir and Lebanon are regularly cited by those who advocate terrorist violence as illustrating what they allege is Western hostility to Islam.

The video wills of British suicide bombers make it clear that they are motivated by perceived worldwide and long-standing injustices against Muslims; an extreme and minority interpretation of Islam promoted by some preachers and people of influence; and their interpretation as anti-Muslim of UK foreign policy, in particular the UK's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Killing oneself and others in response is an attractive option for some citizens of this country and others around the world...

As I said earlier, I have been an intelligence officer for some 32 years. And I want again to describe what intelligence is and is not. I wish life were like 'Spooks', where everything is (a) knowable, and (b) soluble by six people. But those whose plans we wish to detect in advance are determined to conceal from us what they intend to do. And every day they learn. From the mistakes of others. From what they discover of our capabilities from evidence presented in court, and from leaks to the media.

Moreover, intelligence is usually bitty and needs piecing together, assessing, judging. It takes objectivity, integrity and a sceptical eye to make good use of intelligence: even the best of it never tells the whole story. On the basis of such incomplete information, my Service and the police make decisions on when and how to take action, to protect public safety...

We are faced by acute and very difficult choices of prioritisation. We cannot focus on everything so we have to decide on a daily basis with the police and others where to focus our energies, whom to follow, whose telephone lines need listening to, which seized media needs to go to the top of the analytic pile. Because of the sheer scale of what we face (80% increase in casework since January), the task is daunting. We won't always make the right choices. And we recognise we shall have scarce sympathy if we are unable to prevent one of our targets committing an atrocity...

As I speak, my staff, roughly 2,800 of them, (an increase of almost 50% since 9/11, 25% under 30, over 6% from ethnic minorities, with 52 languages, with links to well over 100 services worldwide), are working very hard, at some cost to their private lives and in some cases their safety, to do their utmost to collect the intelligence we need.

The first challenge is to find those who would cause us harm, among the 60 million or so people who live here and the hundreds of thousands who visit each year. That is no easy task, particularly given the scale and speed of radicalisation and the age of some being radicalised.

The next stage is to decide what action to take in response to that intelligence. Who are merely talking big, and who have real ambitions? Who have genuine aspirations to commit terrorism, but lack the know-how or materials? Who are the skilled and trained ones, who the amateurs? Where should we and the police focus our finite resources? ...

On July 8 last year I spoke to all my staff. I said that what we feared would happen had finally happened. I reminded them that we had warned that it was a matter of when, not if, and that they were trained to respond - indeed many had been up all night, from the intelligence staff to the catering staff. I told them that we had received many messages of support from around the world, and that we, along with our colleagues in the police and emergency services, were in the privileged position of being able to make a difference. And we did. And we have done so since.

My Service is growing very rapidly. By 2008 it will be twice the size it was at 9/11. We know much more than we did then. We have developed new techniques, new sources, new relationships. We understand much better the scale and nature of what we are tackling but much is still obscure and radicalisation continues. Moreover, even with such rapid growth, we shall not be able to investigate nearly enough of the problem, so the prioritisation I mentioned earlier will remain essential but risky. And new intelligence officers need to be trained. That takes time as does the acquisition of experience, the experience that helps one with those difficult choices and tough judgements...

That brings me on to my final point. None of this can be tackled by my Service alone. Others have to address the causes, counter the radicalisation, assist in the rehabilitation of those affected, and work to protect our way of life...

Safety for us all means working together to protect those we care about, being alert to the danger without over-reacting, and reporting concerns. We need to be alert to attempts to radicalise and indoctrinate our youth and to seek to counter it. Radicalising elements within communities are trying to exploit grievances for terrorist purposes; it is the youth who are being actively targeted, groomed, radicalised and set on a path that frighteningly quickly could end in their involvement in mass murder of their fellow UK citizens, or their early death in a suicide attack or on a foreign battlefield...

Tc2642

06-29-2007, 07:02 PM

Some links:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/29/london.alert/index.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2003808.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2114743,00.html

Steve Blair

06-29-2007, 07:07 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6252276.stm

Tc2642

06-30-2007, 11:20 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2115693,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287472,00.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2010062.ece

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2725711.ece

SWJED

07-02-2007, 06:24 AM

2 July NY Times - In Hunt for Bomb Plotters, Britain Sees a Qaeda Link (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/02/world/europe/02britain.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin) by Alan Cowell and Raymond Bonner.

With their investigation moving at breakneck speed, the police expanded their hunt on Sunday for the plotters of attempted car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow that the British government called the work of terrorists linked to Al Qaeda. Officers raided homes in three cities and arrested another suspect, bringing the total to five, including at least one identified as a medical doctor.

The police said they had recovered a rich trove of evidence from the vehicles and from video surveillance after two car bombs failed to explode in London on Friday and two men rammed a Jeep Cherokee into the entrance of Glasgow Airport on Saturday. The events prompted the British authorities to raise their terrorism threat assessment to its highest level — “critical,” meaning another attack is imminent...

2 July Washington Post - 5 Suspects Held in British Bomb Attempts (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/01/AR2007070100261.html) by Mary Jordan and Craig Whitlock.

British police arrested a fifth person Sunday and raided homes in three cities in connection with attempted car bombings that officials say are connected to al-Qaeda.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who took over from Tony Blair on Wednesday, said in a nationally televised interview that "we are dealing, in general terms, with people who are associated with al-Qaeda."

On Friday, police in London found two Mercedes sedans packed with propane gas, gasoline and nails and said the drivers had intended to detonate them and kill as many people as possible. On Saturday in Glasgow, two men crashed a Jeep containing propane gas into the main terminal of the Glasgow Airport, setting it on fire. Those two men are in custody...

2 July London Times - Hunt for Terror Cell (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article2013255.ece) by Michael Evans and Adam Fresco.

The terrorist group behind the latest wave of bombing plots has not yet been neutralised and other attacks could hit cities in the United Kingdom, security sources told The Times yesterday.

As the head of Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command confirmed that the two car bombs discovered in London and the blazing Jeep incident at Glasgow airport were linked, a source said: “There is a group of individuals out there who have the capability and the intent to carry out attacks in the UK.

“In our judgment it is very likely there will be further attacks.”

The alert status was raised to “critical” at the weekend and will stay there until MI5 and the police are sure that there are no further attacks being planned by the cell. Those responsible for parking two bomb-primed cars in the West End are still on the run...

goesh

07-02-2007, 11:23 AM

SteveMetz

07-02-2007, 11:44 AM

MSNBC is reporting two (2) doctors have been arrested:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19522388/

-not your average underprivliged, oppressed, poor angry young man lashing out in frustration and hopelessness. That just happens in France where they torched a couple thousand vehicles. I wondered about the use of Mercedes Benz cars.....

It struck me that the UK terrorist organization (and AQ for that matter) is similar to white supremacists in the United States--a few well educated sociopaths organize and run the thing, but most of the foot soldiers are buffoons, incompetents, and losers.

Abu Buckwheat

07-02-2007, 01:12 PM

It struck me that the UK terrorist organization (and AQ for that matter) is similar to white supremacists in the United States--a few well educated sociopaths organize and run the thing, but most of the foot soldiers are buffoons, incompetents, and losers.

Excellent analysis! This was a most amateurish attempt. The bombs were very similar to the 7/21/05 amateur bombers... not like the 7/7/05 SPBIEDs who hit the subways ... the bombs are similar too. We call these guys Class 5 terrorists ... amateurs.

goesh

07-02-2007, 03:05 PM

Christiane Amanpour had a CNN special last night about the Islamic rift in England and the general feel of the piece was the extremists are by far in the minority. What got my attention though was mention of a poll taken of English Muslims in which 14% of those surveyed regarded the subway bombers of 2 years ago as martyrs. No particulars of the survery were given however and it said that 49% of the people surveyed regarded the war in Iraq as a significant factor in the subway attacks. That's noteworthy in light of so many Shias and Sunnis killing each other in mosques and market places.

Tc2642

07-05-2007, 08:45 PM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2033389.ece

Constable Stewart Ferguson, 40, was off duty at the airport on Saturday and was talking to Sergeant Torquil Campbell when they ran around to the front of the terminal to find a burning Jeep wedged into building.
One of the occupants, believed to be the passenger, unoficially identified as Dr Bilal Abdulla, started attacking Mr Campbell, and trying, he said, to keep him away from the flaming vehicle.
As he fought with the man, his colleague grabbed a fire extinguisher and hosed down a second man, said to be Kafeel Ahmed, coming out of the flames.
Once the flames were out he aimed the extinguisher into the man’s eyes to disorientate him.
Speaking about the incident for the first time, Mr Ferguson said: “I remember his injuries and to me they were the most horrific injuries I had seen on a living person.
“In my opinion he was resigned to death.”
Mr Campbell, 49, said: “They were just waiting for death. The fact that they were still alive perplexed them a little bit and they didn’t know what to do.”

Also, an interesting story on:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,2119590,00.html

A man described as the "godfather of cyber-terrorism for al-Qaida" and two of his associates were today given prison sentences totalling 24 years.

The three were sentenced at Woolwich crown court after pleading guilty to inciting people to commit murder through their extremist websites. They had all changed their pleas earlier this week, two months into the trial.

The case is the first successful prosecution based entirely on the distribution of extremist material on the internet.

Moroccan-born computer expert Younis Tsouli, the ringleader, who ran a site that regularly featured beheadings, was imprisoned for 10 years.

and,

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article2737954.ece

A failed asylum seeker who hoarded manuals on how to carry out bombings using cars filled with gas bottles was facing jail today.

In a chilling echo of the Glasgow and London attacks, nightclubs and airports were amongst the 'suitable targets' identified in the 'vast library' of terror material found on the computer of Omar Altimimi.

The 37-year-old, who had links to Arab terrorists, had collected detailed information on how to set up terror cells in the UK, ways to make explosives and how car bombs can be detonated at the entrances to buildings via remote control.

Described by security sources as a "clean skin", Altimimi was not known as a terror suspect when he came to England to "blend-in" by applying for jobs with the police and as a teacher.

Granite_State

07-08-2007, 11:12 PM

Best thing I've read on the episode:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/02/terror_idiocy_outbreak/

Don't know if any of you have read his book, I doubt it was published in the U.S., but it's a heck of a polemic, well worth a weekend read:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lions-Donkeys-Dinosaurs-Blundering-Military/dp/0099484420/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-5591379-8995856?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183936286&sr=8-1

Stan

07-09-2007, 07:38 AM

LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britbombs8jul08,1,4077416.story?coll=la-headlines-world) Staff Writer Sebastian Rotella reports

LONDON — If the past is any guide, the investigation of the attempted car bombings in Britain will lead overseas to an Islamic network affiliated with Al Qaeda.

The question, investigators and experts say, is whether the trail of the would-be bombers will confirm fears that the threat from the war-torn Iraq region is escalating.

But the background of the apparent chief suspect, Iraqi doctor Bilal Abdullah, suggests a more direct connection: networks in the Iraq region that are linked to Al Qaeda and that select and dispatch operatives on a mission to Britain, experts say. Abdullah's medical credentials, British passport and suspected ties to Sunni fundamentalists in Iraq could make him an ideal leader for a plan to hit London with a taste of Baghdad-style carnage, experts say.

"This is exactly what a number of us in the intelligence world had been predicting," said David Omand, who served as Britain's security and intelligence coordinator until April 2005. "The concern was that Al Qaeda in Iraq would turn their minds to attacks outside Iraq. It's not really a strategic surprise. It looks like there's that connection to Iraq."

goesh

07-09-2007, 02:25 PM

Stan

07-09-2007, 03:01 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288623,00.html

"Britain Not Sharing Terror Probe Intel, Interpol Chief Says
Monday, July 09, 2007

LONDON — The head of Interpol said Monday that Britain has not shared any information gleaned from the investigation of three failed car bomb attacks, which he said is symptomatic of London's reluctance to join in global efforts to combat terrorism."

Interesting, the MET's SO13 and SO15 branches are openly sharing with our LEs and EOD Techs.

We've attended their courses over the last 3 years, but I doubt that would be a reason to share with us.

goesh

07-09-2007, 03:39 PM

-they might be too preoccupied at present to do much sharing, but then I don't believe everything on the net.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56503

"Muslims declare sovereignty over U.S., UK
Hear Islamic leaders in London: 'Queen Elizabeth, go to hell!'

Posted: July 9, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Art Moore
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

Across town from the site of the recent attempted car-bomb attacks, several thousand Muslims gathered in front of the London Central Mosque to applaud fiery preachers prophesying the overthrow of the British government – a future vision that encompasses an Islamic takeover of the White House and the rule of the Quran over America.

"One day my dear Muslims," shouted Anjem Choudary, "Islam will govern Britain!"

Choudary was a co-founder of Al Muhajiroun, the now-banned group tied to suspects in the July 7, 2005, London transport bombings and a cheerleader of the 9/11 attacks.

"Democracy, hypocrisy," Choudary chanted as the crowd echoed him. "Tony Blair, terrorist! Tony Blair, murderer! Queen Elizabeth, go to hell!"

Stan

07-09-2007, 06:56 PM

The whole thing's got me wondering just a tad more these days.

From the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britbombs9jul09,1,4536170.story?coll=la-headlines-world)

LONDON — Britain's new security chief warned Sunday that the domestic battle against Islamic militancy could take up to 15 years, and said Britons must start sharing information about neighbors they suspect of involvement in terrorism.

Adm. Alan West, the former navy chief whom Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently named security minister, said a new approach was critical.

"Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone," he told the Sunday Telegraph. "I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life."

He said preventing the radicalization of young British Muslims was his top priority.

"I believe it will take 10 to 15 years," he said. "But I think it can be done as long as we as a nation apply ourselves to it and it's done across the board."

Jedburgh

10-12-2007, 07:22 PM

Chatham House, Oct 07: Islam, Politics and Security in the UK (http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/download/-/id/546/file/10487_bp1007islamuk.pdf)

....Through examining the anti-war movement in Britain, this paper
explores the complexity and potential of Muslim activism and identifies several areas where further work needs to be done and actions taken. We can use this example to understand better how improved dialogue and interaction through activism may strengthen cross-cultural ties. Muslim identity is diffuse, complex, and fractious. There are multiple national origins, Islamic sects, languages, practices and beliefs. Muslim identity in Britain has been conceived as a singular and static primary identifier, being what social scientists term essentialized as an unchangeable and fixed category. This results in a stereotype of what a Muslim is and should be, and hinders others in society who struggle to understand this complexity (but who have little difficulty distinguishing vastly different segments within Christianity).

As many Muslims in Britain have found, ‘the intersection of religion and identity is complex’, where they have had to contend with what it is to be British while simultaneously being influenced by their ancestors’ homeland, their local community, and their faith, with many constructing multiple identities such as being British/Pakistani/Muslim.5 For many Muslim anti-war activists their politicization afforded an opportunity (and even a necessity) to create identities and to challenge the hierarchies established by their elders. Thus ‘the making of a British Islam is an ongoing, unfinished process of experimentation, diversity and debate’. It is this conflict over how to be British and Muslim that is exacerbating the alienation felt by some Muslim youth and creating a space for ‘fundamentalism’.....

davidbfpo

10-12-2007, 08:21 PM

This Chatham House research paper is difficult to read. If you are looking for a clear description of the Muslim factor in the UK, go elsewhere! Looking for help with countering the terrorist who hides within the community, not here either.

davidbfpo

davidbfpo

10-12-2007, 09:07 PM

For sometime since the London and Glasgow bombings, on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th June 2007, I've been wondering about the propaganda aspect.

The Haymarket bomb was left outside a night club, on a "ladies night" and any explosion would have been recorded on some CCTV and mobilephone cameras. This was the first car id'd, where the bomb failed to detonate. The second bomb was left nearby, possibly where crowds would have been directed / assembled and was removed for parking enforcement reasons - only later being id'd as carrying a bomb.

In the 7th July 2005 suicide bombings the most iconic image is the London Transport red double-decker bus; the only bomb that went off on the surface, reportedly by mistake. The bombs on the Tube were initially only seen on very poor quality mobilephone camera pictures.

The Glasgow airport bomb attack, ramming a entry door to the passenger terminal, was recorded on CCTV and mobilephones / video cameras - within minutes footage was on the TV (some of it stunning). Why the bombers chose this target is reported as dictated by proximity and aiming to cause mass casualties.

We all know AQ and others regularly video their attacks and later put their footage on the web etc. Armed propaganda.

What would have happened had the bombs in London been put in place adjacent to the route of the Gay Pride march, Saturday 30th June 2007? I assume the route through central London (possibly near to Haymarket) would have been cleared of vehicles, but not the side streets. I have excluded the report that the bombs are reported as being poorly constructed and maybe not effective.

A Muslim contact when asked about this replied "Oh dear, that would have been awful. These people hate gays so much".

Would the bombers known of the Gay Pride march? Hardly likely to read the gay / pink press I'd suggest. Helped by not living in London, but Glasgow hundreds of miles away.

Are we missing a factor in countering terrorist bombing - that the outrage is captured on video footage taken by the public and will be on the TV / web quickly?

No public presence, no bombs.

The presence of CCTV in the UK metropolitan areas being assumed and not usually released to the public for sometime. Or retained for evidential purposes.

SWJ possibly a strategic communication thread?

Thanks to Rob T. and Jon C. for listening to this theory and encouraging me to "air" it on SWJ.

davidbfpo

davidbfpo

07-03-2008, 09:43 AM

SWJED

07-03-2008, 08:38 PM

In today's Daily Telegraph, under the title 'Repressive law turns terrorists into martyrs', a guest opinion column by Col. Tim Collins (of Gulf War fame for his message before war commenced): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/07/03/do0304.xml

Pungent as one would expect from him; draws upon his Northern Ireland experience and the UK governments proposal for 42 days detention before charge (passed first legislative stage).

davidbfpo

Thanks David, I read Collin's op-ed this morning and linked to it from the SWJ daily news roundup. Good read and food for thought. I also remember his message just prior to crossing the LOD during OIF I. Great stuff and spot on in my most humble opion.

Norfolk

07-03-2008, 10:04 PM

In today's Daily Telegraph, under the title 'Repressive law turns terrorists into martyrs', a guest opinion column by Col. Tim Collins (of Gulf War fame for his message before war commenced): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/07/03/do0304.xml

Pungent as one would expect from him; draws upon his Northern Ireland experience and the UK governments proposal for 42 days detention before charge (passed first legislative stage).

davidbfpo

Indeed.

It would seem that the Government misses few opportunities to ignore the sound advice of experienced professionals in such matters. Is it simple incompetence, bad advice, or a reflection of a particular mentality?

davidbfpo

07-04-2008, 08:41 AM

Indeed.

It would seem that the Government misses few opportunities to ignore the sound advice of experienced professionals in such matters. Is it simple incompetence, bad advice, or a reflection of a particular mentality?

A mixture of all three factors plus some others. So much of the government's policy on counter-terrorism, plus many other areas of policy, is theatre: make an announcement that appears effective, introduce new laws (often badly worded to the point of being worthless) and then wonder why no-one uses them. The Financial Times is the only UK paper to ask a year on, after one Tony Blair statement what happened to the announced policies.

The classic was deploying light armour, tanks to London Heathrow airport a few years ago in response to a perceived threat to aviation; loved the footage until someone asked what value were they and then blamed the Army for giving them only one response option.

davidbfpo

marct

07-04-2008, 12:56 PM

Hi David,

So much of the government's policy on counter-terrorism, plus many other areas of policy, is theatre: make an announcement that appears effective, introduce new laws (often badly worded to the point of being worthless) and then wonder why no-one uses them.

And pretty bad theatre, too! That was certainly my impression upon reading "Promoting Good Campus Relations, Fostering Shared Values and Preventing Violent Extremism in Universities and Higher Education Colleges (http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/extremismhe.pdf)" - schlock that wouldn't have more than a two night run if it wasn't financed by the Gov't!

In a lot of ways, I am reminded of the reactions that appeared in North America surrounding the Satanism Scare (Google (http://books.google.ca/books?id=yt1uw2QOmDQC&dq=%22the+satanism+scare%22&pg=PP1&ots=MY0SKsqx43&sig=LhjX_18PJQDXRtt8LVleZqYV3xc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result), Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Satanism-Scare-Social-Institutions-Change/dp/0202303799)) of the 80's and early 90's. Bad theatre, bad social science, and just plain silliness all around.

davidbfpo

07-04-2008, 10:39 PM

And pretty bad theatre, too! That was certainly my impression upon reading "Promoting Good Campus Relations, Fostering Shared Values and Preventing Violent Extremism in Universities and Higher Education Colleges (http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/extremismhe.pdf)" - schlock that wouldn't have more than a two night run if it wasn't financed by the Gov't!

Yes, an amazing document, which the university heads appeared to accept, but was rejected by the main campus teaching union and national student union. 'Hate Crime' is an acceptable topic, not radicalisation / extremism. It does contain some good parts. Just to help things along there were two arrests at Nottingham University, when someone noted a "terrorist manual" had been printed off for a student (PM for more details, although on the Kings of War blogsite).

How do US / Canadian universities react to these issues?

davidbfpo

Steve Blair

07-04-2008, 11:06 PM

Most of the universities I've been around tend to ignore those issues, at least on the basic level. You'll see some pontification by administrators on one subject or another, but the student body on the whole ignores it and goes about their business. College athletics are the big money maker these days, along with research, and it tends to draw better if the school avoids taking a stand on anything until after something bad happens.

Sorry if that sounds cynical, but I've seen more ink spilled about the "need" for an indoor practice facility for the football team than I have any real examination of extremism or academic dishonesty. The standard answer seems to be to commission a committee to do a study, publish the report, and then go on as before unless there is potential for a lawsuit. Then some changes may be made, but they'll be small and not impact major activities in any noticeable way.

Of course, this also varies depending on the university in question. Land grant schools tend to be somewhat less excitable (and less prone to open political stances) than their state and private university relations. There's a certain regional factor that comes into play in many cases and with many situations. At least based on what I've seen. YMMV, as always with these things.

davidbfpo

07-18-2008, 10:01 PM

The arrests at Nottingham Univeristy, UK rolls on - after the university announces a new policy: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=402844&c=2

Previous article: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=402125

An arcane dispute for some.

davidbfpo

selil

07-19-2008, 12:21 AM

My own faculty has challenged my research and students reports we've written. As recently as last semester I was challenged as unpatriotic, evil, and supporting terrorism for posting a paper dealing with the US Navy Marine Corps Intranet Project (http://selil.com/?p=125). So far no black helicopters have shown up, and nobody with dark glasses following me.

Jedburgh

11-12-2008, 07:04 PM

NIJ, 15 Jul 08: Interagency Coordination: A Case Study of the 2005 London Train Bombings (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/222901.pdf)

This article is based on our research regarding the multiagency response to the London attacks, including barriers and ways to overcome them. As part of that National Institute of Justice-funded study, we interviewed officials from law enforcement, fire and medical services, and public health agencies who were directly involved in the July 2005 London response. We asked about their role during the response, the strategies for coordination that facilitated it, the barriers they encountered and possible strategies for improving coordination among agencies responding to emergencies.
NIJ, 27 Oct 08: Interagency Coordination: Lessons Learned From the 2005 London Train Bombings (Part Two) (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/224088.pdf)

.....We found that although protocols followed by the multiple agencies that responded to the attacks largely minimized major problems, communication, leadership and legal difficulties did affect the coordination efforts.

The primary issues reported to us during our interviews related to communication and leadership.

davidbfpo

03-26-2009, 10:48 AM

After much publicity and commentary beforehand the UK government has re-launched the national CT strategy, now called Operation Contest Two and states a far more detailed explanation of the threat is given. A rather bulky document and only part read so far: http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/publication-search/general/HO_Contest_strategy.pdf?view=Binary

One quick comment by the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7961299.stm

I am not sure if the Pied Piper theory of counter-radicalisation appears.

davidbfpo

jmm99

03-30-2009, 07:09 PM

Please take a look at this thread (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?p=69086#post69086), post #32.

davidbfpo

07-10-2009, 02:12 PM

The former Met Police national CT chief, Andy Hayman (2005 till December 2007), recently wrote a book on his experiences 'The Terrorist Hunters', that on 2nd July 2009 the day before public sale was hit by a civil injunction and banned (numerous newslinks, just one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8130520.stm ).

On 29th June 2009 he was interviewed by the BBC hardtalk programme and in just twenty four minutes talks widely. Civil liberties, public safety and much more discussed: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lf3fv/HARDtalk_Andy_Hayman/ A shorter interview on Sky: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Adam-Boulton-Andy-Hayman-On-New-Book-The-Terrorist-Hunters/Video/200906415321833?lpos=UK+News_11&lid=VIDEO_1950366_Former+Police+Chief+On+7%2F7+Ter ror&videoCategory=UK+News

His book was partly released in parts in The Times, with critical comments on the UK government stuctures: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6552590.ece and supporting a 7/7 inquiry http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6539369.ece

The book had been released for reviews and is commended in: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/non-fiction/article6619300.ece

The legal case is back in court today and the grounds for the ban have yet to be given. The book is likely to be on sale outside the UK, similar to the 'Spycatcher' affair many years ago and became a bestseller.

davidbfpo

Majormarginal

07-18-2009, 12:41 AM

He fell out with the politicians. This will be interesting.

davidbfpo

07-18-2009, 11:06 AM

MajorMarginal,

In a very odd way this case has fallen out of view, even Andy hayman's own website: http://andyhayman.com/index.html has little to say about what has happened to the injunction. Previously the website referred to a court hearing last Friday, earlier his week it reported the case had disappeared from the listing. Today's update suggests Scottish politicians (not Labour, but Scottish Nationalists) are upset at his comments.

As befits a modern society some of his books were sold publically, aside from numerous review copies in circulation.

Puzzling start to a legal case.

davidbfpo

Majormarginal

07-18-2009, 08:50 PM

This should be good for sales when the book does come out. Could your courts silence him under libel laws or security procedures? This will be impossible now that some copies are out.
MajorMarginal,

In a very odd way this case has fallen out of view, even Andy hayman's own website: http://andyhayman.com/index.html has little to say about what has happened to the injunction. Previously the website referred to a court hearing last Friday, earlier his week it reported the case had disappeared from the listing. Today's update suggests Scottish politicians (not Labour, but Scottish Nationalists) are upset at his comments.

As befits a modern society some of his books were sold publically, aside from numerous review copies in circulation.

Puzzling start to a legal case.

davidbfpo

Majormarginal

07-18-2009, 08:50 PM

Why are the Scottish nationalists upset?

davidbfpo

07-18-2009, 09:34 PM

This should be good for sales when the book does come out. Could your courts silence him under libel laws or security procedures? This will be impossible now that some copies are out.

Better sales potential is expected, dependent on how long it takes the civil case to be resolved. I'm not a lawyer, libel laws are unlikely to be a factor in the government's injunction (the grounds for which are still, unusually, in public).

The author and assistant are very aware of the security procedures. Normally such publications are voluntarily submitted to interested parties for review, sometimes deletions are requested (there is another critical book currently where the author said no, as the information was in the public domain already and publication went ahead).

Andy Hayman worked in the Met and so the current Commissioner's views are of note: Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, complained last week that he had not been given a preview of the book’s contents. He questioned whether senior officers should be allowed to publish books of this kind about their period in service. Sir Paul said: “I find it surprising as commissioner that I have no right on this occasion to have access to the book before it is published. That surprises me. It is troublesome and it does not help good conduct.”

For some deeper reading I'd suggest this: http://rachelnorthlondon.blogspot.com/2009/07/andy-haymans-book-77-conspiracy.html

davidbfpo

davidbfpo

07-18-2009, 09:43 PM

Why are the Scottish nationalists upset?

In The Terrorist Hunters, Mr Hayman claims politicians are guilty of “hissy fits” and “some amazing playground antics”. He told The Times: “Mr Salmond is no different.”

A spokesman for the First Minister denied the claims, saying that neither Mr Salmond nor Mr MacAskill had any contact or dealings with Mr Hayman and were not involved in any of the judicial proceedings.

He added: “The Scottish government is fully committed to the fight against terrorism and will work with jurisdictions, south of the Border and elsewhere, to ensure the safety and security of ordinary citizens and the prosecution of the perpetrators of terrorist acts wherever they may be.”

John Neilson, the Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, who headed the investigation into the attack, denied that politicians had influenced the inquiry. “I don't know of any political interference that impacted on the investigation,” he said.

A spokesman for the Crown Office also dismissed Mr Hayman's version of events, saying: “This bears absolutely no resemblance to events in Scotland that weekend.

“The Lord Advocate and her team worked tirelessly with the support of the Scottish ministers over the course of the weekend on June 29 and 30 to ensure that the complex legal issue of jurisdiction was considered quickly but authoritatively.”

These Scottish comments appear to have come after the injunction and Andy Hayman's views were published in The Times excerpts.

davidbfpo

Ken White

07-18-2009, 10:31 PM

Can't tolerate any sassenach finger pointing... :D

davidbfpo

10-30-2009, 04:50 PM

The injunction against the UK publication and sale of the book have recently been lifted, with almost no additional reporting and I only learnt talking to the co-author last week. The publishers now have to think whether to repeat the publicity.

Andy Hayman's website has a short comment: http://andyhayman.com/book.html

davidbfpo

AdamG

12-20-2010, 08:33 PM

British police say they have arrested 12 men suspected of plotting a terrorist attack in Britain. The men were taken from different areas around the country as a result of counter-terrorism intelligence work. The country remains on high alert.

Police picked up the men in early morning raids in Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent in central England, Cardiff in Wales; and, in the capital, London. The men are between the ages of 17 and 24.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/British-Police-Arrest-12-Terror-Suspects-112197989.html

davidbfpo

12-20-2010, 10:49 PM

A bland new release so far, the usual newsreel and now the 'waiting game' for more details - notably charged or released. Curiously the main BBC News decided to explain the statistics for arrests, charges and convictions.

There is a little more, notably that it is an AQ plot:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8215598/Anti-terror-police-arrest-12-people-in-nationwide-raids.html

davidbfpo

12-22-2010, 10:07 PM

I think this deserves its own thread and so I will move a few post here. Yes, this post will then appear not at the start.

davidbfpo

12-22-2010, 10:22 PM

A variety of reports:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12048598 and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8220009/Christmas-terrorist-cell-trained-in-Pakistan.html

A mixture:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8218080/Terrorist-cell-radicalised-in-jail.html

From which:
Muslims leaders said they tipped off police about the group of extremists in the Welsh capital, where five men between the ages of 23 and 28 were arrested. They said they had stopped the group from holding meetings in mosques in the last month and told them to "go elsewhere."
Mosque officials informed police but it is thought that MI5 was already aware of the group.

I know of one analyst who is puzzled that amongst the 'Xmas Twelve' are reportedly five Bangladeshi's, who went for training in Pakistan.

davidbfpo

12-27-2010, 12:08 PM

Announced AM today that nine of the twelve men arrested would be charged with Conspiracy to cause an explosion and Preparatory acts; the other three have been released without charge.

The BBC report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12081828 and a little more detail on the police press release: http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/press-release.asp?id=2000

There is an odd feature to the charges, the dates covered vary and the conspiracy date ends 20th November, whilst the preparatory ends 20th December.

AdamG

12-27-2010, 04:09 PM

I think this deserves its own thread and so I will move a few post here. Yes, this post will then appear not at the start.

For contextual dichotomy, the Peanut Gallery should read
http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showpost.php?p=111737&postcount=41

davidbfpo

12-27-2010, 10:14 PM

Been away from the UK news and found this:
The charges amount to allegations of a plan to attack the London Stock Exchange, the American Embassy, a number of prominent religious and political leaders and possible restaurants, pubs and nightclubs.

The alleged plan also included a series of parcel bombs to be constructed based on instructions printed in an Al-Qaeda newsletter.

The second chage they face is of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism between November 6 and December 20, including by downloading, researching, obtaining and discussing materials and methods; researching discussing and carrying out reconnaissance on and agreeing potential targets; travelling to and attending meetings; and igniting and testing incendiary material preparing for acts of terrorism.

Link:http://www.channel4.com/news/anti-terror-raids-nine-men-charged

More details on:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8227193/Christmas-bomb-plot-nine-men-remanded-over-plan-to-blow-up-Big-Ben-and-Westminster-Abbey.html

omarali50

12-28-2010, 05:03 PM

Why the surprise about Bangladeshis? Bangladesh has been an important hub of ISI's jihadist project for decades...

AdamG

12-28-2010, 05:22 PM

Christmas bomb plot: nine men remanded over plan to 'blow up Big Ben and Westminster Abbey'
Nine alleged terrorists plotted a Christmas bombing campaign targeting sites that included the London Stock Exchange and Big Ben, a court heard.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8227193/Christmas-bomb-plot-nine-men-remanded-over-plan-to-blow-up-Big-Ben-and-Westminster-Abbey.html

davidbfpo

12-28-2010, 06:30 PM

Omarali50,

You asked:
Why the surprise about Bangladeshis? Bangladesh has been an important hub of ISI's jihadist project for decades...

IMHO the surprise is that those of Bangladeshi origin have not featured in most UK plots for a few years, other groups dominate, notably Kashmiri / Pakistani and coming up Somalis. IIRC the last UK CT case with a Bangladeshi was Moinul Abedin and he was arrested in 2000. Secondly, there was the assumption that contemporary history would preclude any Bangladeshi going to Pakistan for training.

There has also been Bangladesh-UK co-operation in CT, although it has hiccups:http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/jun/14/british-man-torture-claims-bangladesh

AdamG

12-30-2010, 01:54 PM

For people too cheap to buy from Paladin Press

LONDON - Nine men arrested in Britain on terrorism charges last week found inspiration and bomb-making instructions in an English-language Internet magazine published by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, British investigators reportedly said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/29/AR2010122902315.html?hpid=topnews

davidbfpo

02-15-2011, 11:09 PM

There is another thread on the 7/7 bombings, shown below, but it covers the post-attack response and this thread starts following - late agreed - the missed opportunities to stop the attacks. Like others I do not like the phrase 'joining the dots', but it is an easy headline.

After much official resistance there is now a coroners inquest, with its own website:http://7julyinquests.independent.gov.uk/index.htm

There have been some headlines as witnesses have come forward. Today we learnt of a missed opportunity, which I cannot recall ever being in the public domain:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8326079/77-inquests-police-failed-to-follow-on-best-lead-to-July-7-bomber-Jermaine-Lindsay.html

Sub-titled:
Bedfordshire police failed to follow up an armed incident involving a car used by one of the July 7 bombers five weeks before the bombings, the inquest has heard.

Data management is a key issue, although this article is not new, it illustrates the LE aspects:http://www.fipr.org/terrorismdetention.pdf

Previous related SWC thread on 7/7: Interagency Coordination http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=6270

davidbfpo

05-06-2011, 05:24 PM

The judge-led coroner's inquest on the 7/7 Bombings has reported in full and has caused some comment.

The BBC report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12629441

A senior officer from the MI5 intelligence service gave evidence anonymously, and said that while two of the bombers had been on the agency's radar, they could not have been stopped.

Although officials initially had said they had no advance knowledge of the bombers, inquiries revealed that Khan and Tanweer had been under surveillance as part of an investigation into an earlier, foiled, bomb plot.

They were never pursued because officials were overwhelmed with other threats perceived to be more serious.

From:http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/05/05/world/europe/AP-EU-Britain-Bombings-Inquest.html?_r=1&ref=world

A more detailed analyst's comment on the evidence, written before today, gives more detail:http://raffaellopantucci.com/2011/04/22/the-missing-links-in-britain-2005-bombings/

davidbfpo

11-19-2011, 12:36 PM

A few weeks police in Birmingham arrested eight people, who were later charged with terrorism offences and seven men kept in custody:
Four of the men were charged with preparing for an act of terrorism in the UK, and two with failing to disclose information.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15113378

This week four young men were arrested, in part two of the investigation, now known as Operation Pitsford and they too have been charged:
They are accused of collecting money for terrorism, travelling to Pakistan for terrorism training and travelling abroad to commit acts of terrorism. They have been charged with engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006, a force spokesman said.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15798572

While this may have only local, British implications I do wonder if it will have an impact on the decision to base the US Olympic track team in Birmingham. There was speculation a week ago that the USA had some concerns overs security in London:http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/13/us-worried-london-olympics-security-2012

AdamG

12-15-2011, 03:58 PM

(Reuters) - Britain's top soldier warned on Wednesday that pro-democracy uprisings in the Middle East could spawn militant Islamist activity in Britain, but said the greatest threat was economic.

In his end-of-year analysis of the dangers facing Britain, the chief of the defense staff, General David Richards, said the Arab Spring could stir unrest in Britain's immigrant communities.

"(There is) the risk that the Arab awakening leads to fissures and internal conflict that could be exported, including militant Islamism," Richards told a defense thinktank, the Royal United Services Institute, in London.

"They have diasporas reaching back to this country, as does Pakistan and other states struggling with instability."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/14/us-britain-defence-middleeast-idUSTRE7BD2AM20111214

Art imitates life. Life imitates art. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vQAJ1q4z4A)

davidbfpo

05-19-2012, 06:35 PM

For many years the Jihadist bookshop 'Maktabah al-Ansar' in Sparkhill, in East Birmingham had a certain notoriety, with repeated police search warrants and finally in February 2007 property was seized that enabled a prosecution in October 2011. The bookshop being described by the prosecutor as:
This case is about the distribution of books and DVDs and other material which we say represent steps along the road to radicalisation of Muslims to engage in violent terrorist attacks around the world, including the UK....This case is also about the ways and means by which to solidify that radicalisation and provide practical assistance for those who have been radicalised. To encapsulate it in a single phrase, this case is about priming people for terrorism...now serving long prison sentences, having been found guilty of plotting to terrorise the British public

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/13/bookseller-accused-priming-people-terrorism

At the trial several expert witnesses appeared for the prosecution and yesterday one of them authored a very significant article IMHO. This is the headline and sub-title:
This bookseller deserved his incitement to terrorism conviction (followed by) I was a witness in Ahmed Faraz's trial – this is the first time anyone involved has spoken about what really happened

Adding:
Much of the media discussion of the trial treated the texts as if they were translations of originals. In fact, all of the original texts had been doctored or adulterated in extremist ways....Throughout, the authority of the Qur'an and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet) was invoked in false, de-contextualised ways to justify acts of violence against innocent people. The texts and videos divided the world strictly into the realm of "pure" Islam – godliness, virtue and knowledge – and the world of "pure" disbelief (kufr) – vice, godlessness and ignorance (jahiliyyah).

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/may/18/bookseller-incitement-to-terrorism-conviction

The bookseller's conviction:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16149299

A contrary viewpoint on the conviction is here:http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/victoria-brittain-asim-qureshi/banning-books-in-britain-fifty-years-after-lady-chatterley

JMA

05-20-2012, 06:04 AM

For many years the Jihadist bookshop 'Maktabah al-Ansar' in Sparkhill, in East Birmingham had a certain notoriety, with repeated police search warrants and finally in February 2007 property was seized that enabled a prosecution in October 2011.

David, so it took from February 2007 to October 2011 to get these people to court? Does any sane person believe the 'war on terror' can be won like this?

bourbon

05-20-2012, 05:07 PM

David, frankly I don’t get it. I imagine that monitoring this store could have yield a treasure trove of useful information – why shut down a potential intelligence goldmine?

davidbfpo

05-23-2012, 06:53 PM

David, so it took from February 2007 to October 2011 to get these people to court? Does any sane person believe the 'war on terror' can be won like this?

Most UK CT prosecutions take a long time to get to court, although IIRC the prosecution must present within sixty days enough of a case to satisfy the court. Then the court, prosecution and defence set about their own way of doing things, for example how many days will a full hearing take? Finding a court slot for a three month-long trial takes time.

In this case the police in 2007 and in 2010 found a mass of potential evidence, books and recordings. All need to be examined, maybe summarised and submitted for review by expert witnesses. Then there's full disclosure to the defence, who may challenge on various aspects, for example the qualifications of an expert witness, so another has to be appointed.

In this case the defendant was at liberty for most of the time once charged in February 2010.

Then there's the priority assigned to threats to life over incitement, so you can have a tiny team assigned to such a case as this.

davidbfpo

05-23-2012, 07:05 PM

David, frankly I don’t get it. I imagine that monitoring this store could have yield a treasure trove of useful information – why shut down a potential intelligence goldmine?

This bookshop had a long history, with repeated raids, at least back to 1998 or 2000; it had a physical location till at least 2007 and then went on-line till 2011.

Locally many in the Muslim community knew what it represented and wanted it gone. Frequently the issue of a 'goldmine' or "honey pot" was raised locally and I would suggest by 2007 it's value had diminished. Not to overlook the rumours that the bookshop was a "front" and IIRC the murky role of the initial landlord.

One prominent name linked to the bookshop, a Moazzam Begg, moved on after being a co-founder, including a stint at Guantanamo Bay and became linked to other forms of campaigning:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moazzam_Begg

davidbfpo

06-28-2012, 12:45 PM

Three threads merged and thread renamed UK Counter-Terrorism (merged thread).

davidbfpo

06-28-2012, 12:59 PM

The annual report by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has been published and covered here, for example:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/9359763/Bee-stings-killed-as-many-in-UK-as-terrorists-says-watchdog.html

Bee stings kill as many people in Britain as terrorist attacks do, according to a report by a Government watchdog who claims the risk from extremists has fallen “markedly” in recent years.

In view of a press report on a speech by the Director-General of the Security Service (MI5) on the threat, the reviewer said the threat is sometimes:
exaggerated for political or commercial purposes

Link to cited a report on the MI5 speech:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9354259/Arab-Spring-provided-new-breeding-ground-for-British-terrorists-spy-chief.html

As the UK winds up for the Olympics in a month's time his remarks are noteworthy and I suspect not exactly endearing him to HMG. When taken alongside his earlier testimony to a parliamentary committee on HMG's proposal for closed courts in civil cases he is showing some mettle IMHO:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9342396/Terror-watchdog-warns-of-wave-of-compensation-claims-over-drone-strikes.html

davidbfpo

12-21-2012, 10:34 PM

Not yet reported by the BBC, but it is confirmed as accurate. This is from a website run by supporters of Faraz:
In a damning judgement, the UK Court of Appeal rules that no causal link could be presented that publications produced by the Maktabah bookshop would inspire acts of political violence or terrorism. They said that it was incorrect of the trial judge to permit evidence that those who had carried out acts of terrorism had owned copies of the books or DVDs and that it was a short cut to a conviction.

The judges further explained that when the extent of acts of political violence are considered, the percentage of those who might have read Maktabah publications was very small and so such a causal link was entirely onerous.

Link:http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-work/press-releases/item/5586-court-of-appeal-quashes-the-wrongly-conviction-of-ahmed-faraz

The ripples from long-running investigation will spread widely, although being the pre-Christmas rush may easily slip from public view.

carl

12-22-2012, 04:58 AM

This is one of those cases that highlight the differences between the UK and the US. I'm not so sure the gov would even bring a case like that here, one that seems to me to criminalize unapproved thought. We'll get there eventually though.

davidbfpo

12-25-2012, 09:39 PM

Thanks to an observer the recent Appeal Court decision is not as reported, by a very partial source. First a reminder:
...Faraz had been convicted of seven counts of dissemination of terrorist publications and four counts of possession of information likely to be of use to a person committing or preparing for an act of terrorism. Seven other similar charges would lie on file.

From the BBC report upon conviction:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16149299

The observer:
...only the charges of disseminating terrorism literature were quashed. The possession conviction still stands and regardless of the below, he is still a convicted terrorist.

The previously cited source didn't mention this.

I await the post-Xmas reporting of this matter, if there is any. Perhaps even a statement by the police (WMCTU) or prosecution (CPS).

davidbfpo

01-05-2013, 11:23 PM

After an unexplained delay the UK press yesterday reported the Court of Appeal decision; the two reports are similar:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257538/Ahmed-Faraz-Terrorists-favourite-bookseller-conviction-quashed.html?ito=feeds-newsxml and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/9782034/Terrorists-favourite-bookseller-has-conviction-quashed.html

The former refers to:
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed yesterday that it would not seek a retrial, according to a report in the Times (behind a Paywall).

One of the expert witnesses, Matthew Tariq Wilkinson, did contribute an article after the initial conviction 'I was a witness in Ahmed Faraz's trial – this is the first time anyone involved has spoken about what really happened':http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/may/18/bookseller-incitement-to-terrorism-conviction?INTCMP=SRCH

The defendant was interviewed by Caged Prisoners after his initial conviction, before being sentenced:http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-work/interviews/item/4881-exclusive-interview-ahmad-faraz-convicted-in-britain-for-publishing-books

How the Court of Appeal's decision has been seen amongst the Muslim communities is unclear, some I expect will suspect it confirms that the British state "pulled out all the stops" to convict the bookseller and now the conviction has been partly overturned.

davidbfpo

01-09-2013, 10:37 AM

A reasoned commentary from the BBC, which opens with:
Can someone be convicted of disseminating books which are arguably so extreme in nature they've played a role in encouraging terrorism and political violence?

That was the question in the trial - and subsequent appeal - of a Birmingham bookseller who in 2011 was convicted of selling jihadist literature, the first substantial case of its kind.

Nicely sums up the case:
In short, the prosecution said Faraz was distributing material that was designed to prime people for terrorism, even if he was not involved in it himself.

Ahmed Faraz's defence was that none of the publications encouraged terrorism; they were simply publications that encouraged intelligent discussions on religious and political theory - and that he also had a legitimate academic interest in some of the material.

The Court of Appeal decision is linked, although it is far from clear to a layman, but the BBC helps:
the Court of Appeal said that it was probable that some people who had read the books were already militant Islamists who might have been further encouraged. But they said that was not proof that any of the books had indeed encouraged acts of terrorism.

Lord Justice Pitchford said: "The danger is that the jury would condemn the publication purely by reason of its association with known terrorists. The temptation to move to the conclusion that terrorists would not be in possession of a publication unless it encouraged them to acts to terrorism is a powerful one; but such a conclusion would, of course, be speculative, unfair and prejudicial."

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20940716

davidbfpo

01-17-2013, 06:48 PM

For a long time non-Irish, Jihadi CT investigations in the UK have not found firearms, although some arrest operations have involved armed police, others not. Firearms have been found in several cases with an extreme nationalist / right wing aspect.

In an investigation in London into travel to Syria in support of alleged terrorist activity, six men were arrested last week and four were released:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20976211 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21051656

Today we learn that in the original searches a converted, blank-firing sub-machine gun (MAC-10) and live ammunition were found, leading to one person, from Edgware, North London being charged with firearms offences, not terrorism and the other man was released without charge:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21066597

Having a blank-firing weapon is not uncommon in the UK alas.

Not a good development - even with no terrorism charges.

bourbon

01-18-2013, 12:04 AM

...but all I could think of here was the "proper replica, bro...big hands" scene in the movie Four Lions. (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=LEQKOYD7ZnQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLEQKOYD7ZnQ)

davidbfpo

01-18-2013, 10:40 AM

A "lurker" reminded me that an aspiring Jihadi sought to buy weapons after 7/7, but it was a "sting" in 2005:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6206886.stm

An aspiring Jihadi with a firearm and ammunition is not a good sign. I fully accept the defendant could have been an "ordinary decent criminal", having the firearm for other reasons.

bourbon

01-18-2013, 02:59 PM

I think you need to look beyond just mere possession of a firearm.

The "barrier to entry" for a UK sourced active shooter attack is significant. A successful active shooter style attack, be it by a group or a lone-wolf, requires at least:

- some degree of training and familiarization with firearms;
- multiple firearms;
- ample supply of ammunition

Procuring these things in the UK significantly raises the risk of exposure for any active shooter plot.

I would also imagine the price of firearms on the UK black market is high - seeing as how the supply is low, and much of the demand would probably be from people in the narcotics trade who have the funds to pay a premium for weapons.

Obviously I have made assumptions here - but I believe they are fair ones, and the impression I get is that a homegrown active shooter style plot sourced from within the UK has significant risk of exposure and financial costs.

davidbfpo

01-18-2013, 03:37 PM

bourbon

01-18-2013, 04:36 PM

Bourbon I accept your points.

My concern was not for an 'active shooter' attack, but the likely crossover between aspiring a Jihadi and "ordinary decent criminals" in the acquisition of a firearm and ammunition. There has been very little known crossover between the two; a matter of choice given the risks to both.

The second is whether LE have to assume Jihadi suspects have access to firearms when mounting arrest operations when there is no actual intelligence they have weapons. It is a fact that invariably new items or indicators of criminal activity are only discovered in post-arrest searching - fraud is often found.
Fair enough. But that has to do with the UK's legal system and culture - and it's near total prohibition of firearms; which frankly I won't even pretend to understand!

I would ask what does it suggest, if such crossover as you described, is occurring in the UK?

As to the question of assuming a terrorist suspect's access to firearms when mounting arrest operations; I would be disturbed to hear that this is not the default assumption - but again, see my comment about me not understanding the British.

davidbfpo

01-26-2013, 12:28 AM

A lengthy excerpt from a book due out in April 2013, which gives a good background to some of the factors behind Jihadist terrorism in the UK - with a focus on the impact of Kashmir and the appeal to those with an affinity or kith & kin links in the UK - by looking at one radicaliser Maulana Masood Azhar.

It starts with:
Kashmir has always played an interesting role in Britain’s jihad. From its earliest days, the presence in the UK of a substantial Kashmiri population meant issues in the Indian sub-continent were important in the UK as well. Most prominently, in 1984, a group of Kashmiris abducted and murdered Rhavindra Mhatre, a diplomat serving at the Indian Consulate in Birmingham. Their demands included the release of imprisoned Kashmiri leader Maqbool Butt, who was instead executed by the Indian government in retribution. In later years, as tensions slowly escalated, a growing number of young Britons were drawn to the fight, following the streams of money that had long filtered from the UK to Kashmiri jihadi groups. In time, this well-trodden path became a direct line to al Qaeda, culminating in the attacks of 7 July 2005.

Link:http://www.hurstpublishers.com/maulana-masood-azhar-in-the-british-jihad/?goback=.gmr_4657639.gde_4657639_member_207540665. gmr_4657639.gde_4657639_member_207971092

The book is 'We Love Death As You Love Life: Britain's Suburban Mujahedeen' by Raffaello Pantucci, see flyer:http://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/we-love-death-as-you-love-life/

Bill Moore

02-24-2013, 06:44 PM

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/21/uk-trial-reveals-new-al-qaeda-strategy-to-hit-west/?hpt=hp_t4

UK trial reveals new al Qaeda strategy to hit West

The trial of three Birmingham men convicted Thursday of plotting to launch a "catastrophic" suicide bombing attack in the United Kingdom revealed that al Qaeda has developed a new strategy to target the West.

Not really new, but a lot of interesting detail coming out of this case.

Pantucci says the pressures on al Qaeda have resulted in a shift toward a new model of "fire and forget."

The March 2012 Toulouse terrorist shootings provided further evidence of looser control by al Qaeda of terrorist plots in the West. The perpetrator of the attack - Mohammed Merah - was encouraged by the group to return to France to launch an attack during a short stay in the tribal areas of Pakistan in September 2011 but planned every aspect of the operation himself, including which targets to strike.

davidbfpo

02-24-2013, 08:01 PM

I am slowly reading the various post-trial MSM reports on this case, which has some aspects that are troubling and others that portray the convicted men as bumbling idiots. Yes they seen, no heard to be angry, motivated and trained. Much of the evidence came from bugging their conversations, even this:
MI5 on hearing via their home bug that these incompetent idiots were looking to buy a car for their gunpowder plot, managed to get them to buy a pre-bugged vehicle that they (MI5) had supplied.

Source not id'd. so could be "spin".

Troubling:
The two Irfans were also in contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba, the extremist group behind... Mumbai in 2008.

From:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/guilty-the-ringleaders-who-plotted-a-terror-spectacular-to-rival-911-8505036.html

If LeT were involved that is to my knowledge the first time this originally Kashmiri group has taken such an anti-UK step - training for an attack in the UK. LeT are known for sending well-trained cadres to Afghanistan to ISAF & Afghan forces.

Bill cited Raffaello Pantucci, a now London-based analyst at RUSI, has a longer comment on:http://raffaellopantucci.com/2013/02/23/the-birmingham-terrorist-plotters-lessons-for-counter-terrorism-today/

This BBC report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21534048 has a key 'lesson' and weakness for Jihadists:
One of them even conceded to police that if his two fellow plotters managed to find women who would have them, their anger with the world may have eventually gone away.

The plotters also appear to have overlooked the reaction of the local community, when they used bogus street collection to raise funds and lose them:
As for the cash, Naseer and his recruits went onto the streets of Birmingham during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, rattling collection buckets and wearing high-visibility tabards. They sought donations for a local madrassah project and a legitimate international development British charity, Muslim Aid. But the real plan was to con ordinary people. They collected some £13,000 from Muslims who regard it as a religious and moral duty to give to charity during Ramadan. Rahin Ahmed, another member of the cell, said he could make more money by investing it in online currency trading - he lost £9,000.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21414518

There is another aspect of this plot which fits on another thread, the failure of those who knew others had gone to Pakistan for terror training failing to inform the authorities.

davidbfpo

02-25-2013, 03:55 PM

Steve Coll adds a different, long term perspective and ends:
Jihadist violence presents an enduring danger. Its proponents will rise and ebb; the amorphous threats that they pose will require adaptive security policies and, occasionally, military action. Yet the empirical case for a worldwide state of war against a corporeal thing called Al Qaeda looks increasingly threadbare. A war against a name is a war in name only.

Link:http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2013/03/04/130304taco_talk_coll#ixzz2LuFQXBpA

In discussions with analysts one conclusion was that a name change for AQ could make CT strategy difficult, which may explain why of late new names appear for what were suspected to be AQ affiliates.

bourbon

02-27-2013, 05:16 PM

Steve Coll adds a different, long term perspective and ends:

Link:http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2013/03/04/130304taco_talk_coll#ixzz2LuFQXBpA

In discussions with analysts one conclusion was that a name change for AQ could make CT strategy difficult, which may explain why of late new names appear for what were suspected to be AQ affiliates.
Terrorism is about branding. The AQ brand is either dead or on life support right now.

Pre-9/11 AQ was like the Harvard of terrorism – you had to apply and few were selected. These days AQ is like a community college where anyone can show up so long as they have a pulse and a checkbook.

We are literally finding feeble-minded suspects in the west trying to launch attacks under the AQ brand. Actual frittata's – I swear some of these guys will burn their lips on an exhaust pipe trying to blow-up a bus.

davidbfpo

02-28-2013, 11:56 PM

A short article by Andy Liepman, formerly at the US NCTC and now a senior policy analyst at RAND. Amidst is this passage:
Whether in Pakistan after evacuating Afghanistan or its current foray into Syria from its base in Iraq, al Qaeda remains a force to be reckoned with.

Al Qaeda's message has steadily lost resonance, but as long as it takes root among even a tiny minority of potential recruits, it is premature to declare victory. With skill and persistence, a balanced appreciation for the threats that exist, and an enemy that continually shoots itself in the foot, the United States and its allies continue to make steady progress. Al Qaeda's operational capabilities are diminished, yet just one suicide bomber taking down an aircraft full of innocents would change that narrative abruptly.

Link:http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2013/02/25/al-qaedas-current-status-inept-weakened-but-dangerous

Although mentioned elsewhere about Syria it is interesting to contrast Andy's article with Bruce Hoffman's - which would not have such a headline:http://www.middleeast-armscontrol.com/2013/02/19/interview-with-bruce-hoffman-on-todays-global-terrorism-threat/

Bob's World

03-01-2013, 01:34 AM

It has never been about any organization, it has always been about the underlying forces of causation that these organizations emerge from and tap into.

To celebrate the "end of AQ" is like celebrating the melting of snow in December...It it is still winter new snow will replace the old. Same with insurgency or with UW organizations such as AQ who tap into the insurgent conditions of others.

Not much, beyond the self-help of Arab Spring, has been done to address the conditions AQ taps into. The West is still chasing symptoms and blaming ideology, poor economies, etc.

davidbfpo

03-02-2013, 11:02 PM

A newspaper story based on a forthcoming BBC Radio programme and a rare interview of Jonathan Evans, the Director of the Security Service (MI5):
One of the things I say always to new members of the Service is that there may be a temptation to cut those corners but in the longer term that will be a real problem to us....We depend on the support of government and ultimately on the support of the British people to do the sort of things that we do. They have a right to be confident that we will be doing this in a way which is legal, which is proportionate and which is done in accordance with high ethical standards.

In the two-part series, In Defence of Bureaucracy, Mr Evans insists that bureaucracy helps MI5 officers to do their jobs:
It means that officers can act with confidence that what they are doing is appropriate and proportionate and that there are those checks and balances in the system.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9903778/Spies-tempted-to-cut-corners-says-MI5-boss.html

davidbfpo

04-10-2013, 01:36 PM

Two commentaries from RUSI analysts, one reviewing the UK CT strategy Operation Contest after an official publication last week:http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C5165370EE3D28/#.UWVgKqLvvfI

The second by Raffaello Pantucci is a longer comment on Operation Pitsford, the plot based in Birmingham:http://raffaellopantucci.com/2013/04/10/amateur-fanatics/

The BBC reports two more guilty pleas in this case:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22091107

The BBC radio has just referred to a new trial of one of the defendant's wife being tried over her failure to tell the authorities of the plot:http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/press-release.asp?ID=4570 and a week later was found not guilty by the jury:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22221665

A local paper reports:
All 11 are due to be sentenced later this month.

Posts 64-70 were in a separate thread and were moved here today.

davidbfpo

04-27-2013, 01:38 PM

Two BBC reports on:
The investigation in Birmingham, known as Operation Pitsford, uncovered a cell of would-be suicide bombers who were trying to recruit others to their cause.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22305095

If one thing is clear from the massive Operation Pitsford trial, it's that the life of a would-be jihadist is far removed from the fantasy of al-Qaeda propaganda....The tale is reminiscent of a scene from the grim black comedy film, Four Lions, and we'll never know what really happened.....Mosquitoes posed a more immediate threat than American drones, and if the insects weren't going to get the Brits, the unbearable heat would.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22310419

davidbfpo

04-30-2013, 08:46 PM

After the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing an PIRA spokesman stated:
Today we were unlucky, but remember we only have to be lucky onceToday six aspiring Jihadist terrorists pleaded guilty to plotting an attack @ Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in June 2012, on a protest meeting held by the English Defence League (EDL), commonly labelled an extreme right / nationalist group.

Luckily:
...by the time the group arrived the crowd of around 450 protestors had completely dispersed.What is significant IMHO is this is the first Jihadist planned attack on the EDL in the UK. It only failed as they arrived late. The six were all UK citizens, of Bangladeshi and Kashmiri origin, from East Birmingham mainly; their prepared leaflets stated:
To the EDL (English Drunkards League). O enemies of Allah! We have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah... you should know that for every action there is a reaction. Today is a day of retaliation (especially) for your blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad. We love death more than you love life. The penalty for blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad is death.The attack was discovered after a routine traffic stop, as one car used came up as being uninsured:
The gang had purchased car insurance over the phone earlier that day but because the wrong registration number had been provided, the car flashed up as uninsured.See:http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/30/six-wouldbe-terrorists-not-on-radar?CMP=twt_gu

The car was seized and the contents were discovered when the recovery operator opened the boot, to conduct an inventory. Their weapons:
..two previously stolen sawn-off shotguns and nine cartridges, 11 bladed items, parts of a partially constructed pipe bomb, a firework-based IED containing 359 nails and 93 ball bearings...Photos:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22353636

Only then did the police discover what the plotters intended. Needless to say there are other aspects, but the police and partners were not aware of the attacker's intentions or assembly of weapons.

Police press release, with video of the routine stop:http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/press-release.asp?ID=4658

A BBC report, which covers 'did the police miss the plot':http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22344054

A comment by the EDL's leftist opponents:http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/edl-demo-bomb-plot/

bourbon

04-30-2013, 11:07 PM

Odd selection of a target, no?

I understand the insulting of the Prophet Muhammad grievance, but it would seem that from the jihadi perspective the EDL would be useful in polarizing/alienating moderate Muslims.

davidbfpo

05-02-2013, 09:48 PM

Bourbon,

Here is one commentary by two analysts on the radicalization theme, the headline:
The failed EDL rally plot shows how much extremists need each other; Both the would-be terrorists who plotted the Dewsbury attack and the EDL rely on each other to incite their supporters' hatred.

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/01/failed-edl-rally-plot-extremists-need#show-all

IMHO the plotters sought to ignite community conflict, preferably showing only the Jihadists fought the evil EDL, whatever the price paid. A good reminder how evil they were.

davidbfpo

05-22-2013, 11:08 AM

What a surprise:
A man has been charged with four counts of murder over the 1982 bombing in Hyde Park which killed 11 people, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. The four members of the Royal Household Cavalry were travelling to Buckingham Palace when they were killed.

Thin BBC report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22625104

Slightly more in he prosecution (CPS) press statement:http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/man_charged_over_1982_hyde_park_bomb/

There is a recent SWJ article on the Hyde park bombings, there were two bombs that day, the cavalry and a military band playing in the nearby park:http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/case-study-the-ira%E2%80%99s-hyde-and-regent-parks-attacks-in-london-july-20-1982

There is a long running 'catch all' thread on Northern Ireland:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=3576

The Provisional IRA had a saying "We have not gone away", well nor has the police investigation and now we await the trial process.

davidbfpo

05-22-2013, 05:47 PM

From the BBC:
Sinn Fein Assembly Member Gerry Kelly said: "The decision to arrest and charge him in relation to IRA activities in the early 1980s is vindictive, unnecessary and unhelpful. It will cause anger within the republican community. Clearly, if John Downey had been arrested and convicted previously he would have been released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. This development represents bad faith and a departure from what was previously agreed by both governments. John Downey needs to be released and allowed to return home to his family.

Note:
Anyone convicted of a terrorist offence in the UK or Republic of Ireland before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 15 April 1998 is entitled to apply to the Sentence Review Commission to be considered for release after serving two years in jail.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22625104

Tukhachevskii

05-23-2013, 01:14 PM

A British soldier was brutally murdered (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10073910/Woolwich-attack-terrorist-proclaimed-an-eye-for-an-eye-after-attack.html) yesterday (Wednesday 22nd May 20113). As usual the politicians (in particular the git Boris Johnson) were quick to state that the attack had nothing to do with Islam (http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/23/boris-johnson-neither-islam-nor-uk-foreign-policy-to-blame-for-woolwich-attack-3805761/). Allah-u-Akbar to that brother! With politicians like that who needs enemies. Once again I hear that magic word "radicalised" being thrown around (no doubt to help liberals sleep better at night). And once again I know we (they in actual fact) are going to gloss over the deeper causes of this heinous crime.

Apparently the two were known to the security service and police (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22634468).

carl

05-23-2013, 04:18 PM

The stomach wrenching part about something like this is that from the point of view of the powerful, it is better the innocent man die than the powerful be viewed as being other than PC.

slapout9

05-23-2013, 06:57 PM

The stomach wrenching part about something like this is that from the point of view of the powerful, it is better the innocent man die than the powerful be viewed as being other than PC.

If the British had a "2nd amendment right" this whole situation might have been different. A Soldier with no weapon, killed in broad daylight and then the jihad jerk goes before a TV camera and starts his Jihad Jive routine. I hope the British give him a fair trial and then Hang Him High and slow!

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9f7y6mXSPA

carl

05-23-2013, 07:13 PM

omarali50

05-24-2013, 09:51 PM

I have a comment on this issue that I am reproducing here for your opinion:
http://www.brownpundits.com/2013/05/24/is-it-ok-for-left-wing-analysts-to-blame-british-foreign-policy-for-woolwich/

... I think Kenan Malik should have devoted more space to shaming the left wing commentators who wish to glorify this atrocity as a political statement..an understandable if unfortunate expression of “Muslim rage”. Sure, Fox News does more than that with their pet news items, but is it too much to expect Greenwald to ease off for a few days? He and his ilk are saying “this is a response to UK foreign policy”. What if someone spent the first five days after Breivik’s massacre explaining how it was a “response to Muslim immigration” and could have been avoided if Muslims stop immigrating to Christian lands? Would that strike some people as an unacceptable attempt to profit from a terrible atrocity?
A deranged murderer can come up with whatever explanation HE thinks is justification for his action, but it is still worth it to try and make some distinction between an organized political attack (no matter how good or bad or moral or immoral) and what is a deranged act that really does not deserve to be classifed as a component of ANY political project.
As an example of a crime that IS part of an organized political effort, see 9-11. It was not the act of one or two deranged criminals, but a systematic well thought out effort carried out by an organization with clear political aims. It was a war crime, but at least it was an organized, well thought out war crime with an ideology that explains the crime. THIS deranged murder does not deserve to be included in the same register of war crimes (or heroic acts of anti-imperialist resistance).
its a fuzzy line, but its there.

i know that the IRA targeted soldiers and that was clearly a political cause. But I am thinking of this specific crime; it does not appear that these two butchers are part of any organized group working in any systematic way (more information may change that assessment, but current information does not seem to suggest that).
By suggesting that their act is part of a political struggle against British imperialism, Greenwald and company are elevating them to a level they did not actually achieve in their lives. This assessment may change if new facts come to light, but until then, this is the kind of nutjob crime that does not deserve to be discussed as a serious policy problem. That, in fact, would be the best way to encourage the next nutjob with a real or imaginary grievance to commit some other atrocity.

davidbfpo

05-24-2013, 11:35 PM

This murder was not unexpected - in the general sense - and the response has been media-driven. Partly as Woolwich is in South East London, so close to the home of most UK broadcast media and the decision by ITN to use a film clip of one suspect murderer giving his reasons.

There is a deluge of reporting, some of which is speculative, so I have selected a few which I found helpful.

Once more Raffaello Pantucci, of RUSI, is worth a read:http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C519DFAA611C41/#.UZ90AFIayc1

He ends with:
From a security perspective, the dilemma is two-fold. On the one hand, how to identify lone actor terrorists who may feature in a larger intelligence picture, but do little to distinguish themselves from the crowd. And on the other, how to manage societal tensions when extremists on both sides prove eager to incite violent reactions in others.

Steve Hewitt, an academic, being a Canadian based here, offers a calm response and this point is one too many ignore:
The terrorists can’t defeat British society; only British society can do that by exaggerating the power of the terrorists. That happens when we overreact to their atrocities.

Link:http://www.cityam.com/article/woolwich-shows-our-vulnerability-crude-threats

Simon Jenkins, a London-based commentator, looks at the all powerful role of the media, with a pithy few passages:
When Cameron yesterday said we should defy terror by going about our normal business, he was right. Why did he not do so?

It is this echo chamber of horror, set up by the media, public figures and government, that does much of terrorism's job for it. It converts mere crimes into significant acts. It turns criminals into heroes in the eyes of their admirers. It takes violence and graces it with the terms of a political debate. The danger is that this debate is one the terrorist might sometimes win.

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/23/woolwich-attack-echo-chamber-mass-hysteria?CMP=twt_gu

Kings of War asks whether ITN was right, with fifty-four responses (as yet unread):http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2013/05/dear-itv-we-need-to-talk-about-terrorism/

Alan Judd, a more conservative writer uses a "broader brush" and ends with:
We should be watchful, very watchful, but not afraid. To fear them would be to grant them a kind of victory.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10076157/Woolwich-attack-When-extremists-are-below-the-radar.html

What was the "tipping point" for the two suspects to move from being extremists to using violence? In the last hour one friend has alleged:
Woolwich terrorist...en route to al-Shabaab.... allegedly imprisoned and tortured by Kenyan authorities. This flipped him.

Actual BBC Newsnight interview on link, after the interview the speaker was arrested on the premises by the police:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22664457

As they say a "developing story".

One suspect features in a short film clip "preaching":http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gyT6Wqc_HZc

In the clip a white male, with a ginger beard holding a camcorder features; is Richard Dart, a convert, who was recently jailed for terrorism matters:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2314594/Muslim-convert-Richard-Dart-refuses-stand-dock-sentenced-years-prison-terrorism-offences.html

omarali50

05-25-2013, 04:33 AM

I updated my post with some background about what bothers me here..

http://www.brownpundits.com/2013/05/24/is-it-ok-for-left-wing-analysts-to-blame-british-foreign-policy-for-woolwich/

davidbfpo

05-25-2013, 11:42 AM

Tukhachevskii:

I have a question, for David too, that relates to what Slap wrote about trying these killers. It has been years since the Ft. Hood killer and the thing that killed the women and children in the night in Afghanistan committed their crimes, crimes of which there is no doubt that they are guilty. Yet, it has been years and their trails are nowhere in sight. Will the British take as long to try and convict the obviously guilty as we do?

Carl,

No would be a simple answer. Nearly all contemporary terrorism-related trials occur in England, so I've not looked at cases in Northern Ireland (which has different laws) or Scotland.

Criminal trials here do not recognise 'the obviously guilty'.:wry:

Once a suspect is charged they must appear before a Crown Court within sixty days, for plea and direction. Very few terrorism suspects get bail, being in custody is supposed to accelerate the state's trial preparation; secondly few plead guilty until trial. There is a procedure now to signal a guilty plea before trial and get a lesser sentence.

Here are four examples: Moinul Abedin, B'ham's first AQ plotter, arrested 17th November 2000, trial February 2002; 21st July 2005 London bombers, not guilty trial ended with convictions 9th July 2007; B'ham's Operation Gamble, arrests 31st January 2007, two pleaded not guilty and trial February 2008 (one acquitted, one convicted) and Ahmed Faraz, B'ham bookshop owner, first arrested January 2007, not charged, arrested in 2010 charged and trial October 2011.

There was one terror plot in London which IIRC had three trials, after the juries at two trials were unconvinced and that took time to conclude. See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot

One London trial took a year in court and the jury were out for a month.

I cannot recall a terrorism related case not reaching trial within two years.

Bill Moore

05-26-2013, 04:58 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/26/world/europe/britain-extremism-task-force/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

The group, led by Cameron, will "have a general focus on extremist groups, but accept that in practice the greatest threat is from Islamist extremists," a statement from Downing Street said.

The Muslim Council of Britain said the task force needs to look at "extremism from all quarters" while forming an effective strategy.

It gets to a point where you can't ignore the reality in your facing, it is shame it took over 10 years.

davidbfpo

05-26-2013, 08:32 PM

Bill Moore

05-27-2013, 04:18 AM

Bill,

You appear to take an optimistic view of this announcement, being nearer to the scene, with friends working at the "coalface", I fear it is "spin".

There have been several government reviews of the counter-extremism strategy, often known as Prevent - within the wider CT strategy 'Operation Contest'; a couple of learned groups - including at least two parliamentary enquiries - and a number of other groups, some who have worked at the "coalface".

The CNN report has little detail, nor have several UK newspapers and we are left with a No.10 Downing Street press briefing:

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/may/26/david-cameron-anti-terror-task-force

A more conservative leaning paper has a little more, again with some choice headlines:

Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2330945/David-Cameron-launch-new-terror-task-force-stamp-religious-extremism.html

Meantime there is political pressure building to re-introduce a piece of legislation on greater communications monitoring, known as the 'Snoopers Charter' to many and officially as the rather blandly titled Communications Data Bill:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10081398/Woolwich-attack-Tories-and-Labour-should-join-forces-push-through-snoopers-charter.html

Details on the Task Force are lacking, and I'm sure the far left and also well meaning citizens concerned about excessive state power will oppose it, but I suspect their voices are becoming a minority (at least during the emotional post attack period). There seems to be a growing anti-Islamist movement throughout much of Europe (UK, France, Greece, etc.), and I applaud those who oppose the Islamists. They think their entitled to push their hate rhetoric in our culture and push for sharia law, while simultaneously being protected by our laws (the ones they want to change). We need to view sharia as a sickness that has no place in our society and do whatever is necessary to purge it from our ranks. The Islamists are a real threat within our ranks, and sadly we generally know who they are but fail to act due to the prevailing philosophy of political correctness.

I do worry that well founded opposition to Islamists will translate into a growing trend of hate crimes against Muslims who are not Islamists, which will simply make the problem worse, potentially pushing vulnerable and younger Muslims to consider Islamist views. It is a vicious cycle, but I read some where that the intent of the TF was to disrupt the Islamist narrative, which seems feasible compared to "countering" it. Disruption means targeting those who are promoting hate crimes and outlawing the use of public media to spread their disease. It may mean expelling hate speech promoters. In short it means the legal system will no longer tolerate it.

Any rational western nation would out law and take offensive action against those within their nation that were openly promoting murder and pushing for sharia law. We made a choice hundreds of years ago not to be backwards, and we should let a few clowns threaten us because our legal system protects them. I think the greatest nature isn't the Islamists because they can be dealt with if we are willing to act, but the larger danger is the prevailing philosophy of political correctness that stifles common sense.

I have a little hope because senior civilian leaders in the UK have identified Islamist rhetoric as a threat. I have a little hope because the backlash against Muslims may convince main stream Muslims to take action within their community to purge the Islamists, because ultimately they're the only ones who can.

Madhu

05-27-2013, 01:36 PM

For some reason, certain cities and nations serve as relatively good safe havens in the intellectual and monetary sense. It goes beyond a Londoniston phenomenon--IM non-British opinion, which may be incorrect--and can be found in past movements such as the Khalistan movement, support for the Tamil Tigers (although the US and Canada played important parts too).

This is a long described phenomenon and isn't new, radicals have often found an ideological home in Western cities. Human rights laws that are tolerate of radical immigrant speech, immigration policies, there are even murmurings in some immigrant communities that as long as the rhetoric is directed outward toward historic "enemies" of the UK, it's okay to say whatever you want. We pay tribute in our generous policies, you keep the violence going in a different direction.

And for reasons that are unclear to me, some human rights activists and native-born become bonded emotionally to one group over another in overseas conflicts which are more complicated than any narrative presented by any one side.

Others, of course, are paid and there is an entire industry of cultivation of scholars and journalists and writers. It's not for any one issue, it seems to flare up in periods of time more for one ideology than another, but the generic phenomenon seems similar.

Madhu

05-27-2013, 01:38 PM

I had suggested in the past either here or at another blog (Abu M) that we study the Punjab insurgency or the Khalistan or similar South Asian movements as a better mental model than 19th century colonial wars and in the manner of Dave Maxwell's recent article on UW.
1. Immigrant diaspora (Mackinley's Insurgent Archipelagos).
2. National and regional movements mixed in with ideological movements, some supported by national intelligence agencies.
3. Lobbying of western officials.
4. Cultivating Western scholars.
5. International banking and black globalization in combination as sources of funding.
6. Sophisticated use of the visual arts and contemporary communications (from television to the internet over time).
7. And so on.

PS: You can find newspaper reports of Brussels human rights officials being threatened when the official attempts to look into human rights abuses on both sides of a contentious issue, in this way nations can attempt to manipulate the appearances of insurgencies. This happens in a relatively benign fashion (diplomats yelling at each other or threatening to withhold business contracts behind doors) or in a more nefarious fashion.

Madhu

05-27-2013, 02:06 PM

There is a tendency for officials in the UK (and it happens in Canada and the US too) to "outsource" (Praveen Swami's phrase) dealing with immigrant communities to community liaisons which perverts the complicated diaspora community and its attitudes.

I have started to see it here in the US, newspaper reporters will interview some "Hindu American" activist on some made up issue ("Salena Gomez wore a bindi and perverted our traditional culture!") and present it as representative of some community. I bet 99.999999999 percent of "Hindu Americans" don't know who the freak show activist is but some well-meaning but clueless reporter will pass it off as an issue and the whole ball gets rolling from this nonsense.

I'm seeing different rhetoric in my own community related to a different immigration pattern and this is somehow being passed off as representative of a whole complicated group of people.

So, this is probably what happened over the years in the UK, and no thanks to the national government, elected officials pandering to the louder activists within a larger immigrant population, and the Foreign Office or whatever buckling under to pressure from nations that are traditional allies or Commonwealth countries or whatever.

A complicated phenomenon, not typical to just one nation. Sunlight is the best disinfectant for this phenom, IMO.

Bill Moore

05-27-2013, 05:14 PM

Madhu,

I think it all comes down to identity and people in the end want their narratives to be simple. What amazes me is how quickly we bond with a group and assume a group identity for even a short period of time and throw rationale out the window as we get got up in the group dynamics. Others, like many home grown Islamists, especially those who were agnostic or Christian and then converted to Islam were searching for a group they could establish an identity with. Examples include the Hari Krisnas, the Jone's Town Cult, Aum Shinrikyo, devil worshiping cults, and the Islamist cult(s).

Something is missing in people's lives and for some reason joining this groups gives their life meaning. I listed what we generally consider undesirable groups above, but their seems to be little difference between people who decide to become professional soldiers, policemen, join Doctor's without Borders, or join the priest hood. We assume the norms of these groups because we want to belong. In many cases these group identities are healthy for our society instead of threatening.

I don't know what the fix is for radicalization, because I don't understand the problem, or even if human nature should be considered a problem we need to fix? I do think once those who have taken this path are identified and those who reach out to spread this group identity need to be removed. All complex psychological and sociological factors aside, the simple fact remains is they remain a threat to our society.

Why do so many skinny American white kids who are for the most spoiled brats embrace gangsta rap and walk around like an intercity black kid in a gang? What identity are they trying to embrace (often comical to watch)? Equally important what identity are they trying to break away from and why? Why do some people assume a violent attitude towards fans of an opposing sports team when they go watch a game (soccer, basketball, etc.)?

I can't answer any of these questions, but with my primal instincts I can recognize a threat, and Islamists fall into that category. They need to be neutralized as they're identified, and while I don't dismiss the need to address underlying causes, I don't think we understand the underlying causes, so until we do we need to do what we can to protect our people.

Bob's World

05-27-2013, 06:19 PM

We all just need to keep in mind that why a movement exists is a strategic and political question; whereas why any individual joins or supports a movement is a tactical and personal question. I often see those questions conflated as one and the same.

Bill Moore

05-27-2013, 08:39 PM

Bob's World

05-27-2013, 09:29 PM

Exactly, and of Che and Ho, Ho was an insurgent, while Che was got into the UW business. Ho fully understood the high conditions of insurgency across the many diverse people of Vietnam, their shared desired to have a self-determined future free from foreign intervention, be it French, US, Chinese or Russian. Che, on the other hand got into the UW business and died virtually alone in the South American jungle attempting to start an insurgency where the revolutionary pressure had already been relieved a few years earlier by a nationalist movement.

You sell the sizzle but you buy the steak. Che got so caught up in selling his own brand of sizzle he never bothered to check to see if anyone was hungry. Most in the US are too focused on the sizzle of various ideologies as well. Better we focused on how we too often contribute to "the steak."

Bill Moore

05-28-2013, 01:59 AM

Bob, if that isn't a twist on words to sell your model, then I have never seen one :D. My point was simply not every actor is motivated by politics, and in many cases few are, they are motivated more by peer pressure, or a desire to belong to something that will define them.

Quite simply one size doesn't fit all, and some kid in the UK or the U.S. that grew up in a Christian family then converts to Islam and later becomes an Islamist doesn't mean it is a failure of government. That is the politically correct myth that ties our hands behind our backs while we allow criminals (Obama is right, by definition most of these lone wolves are not terrorists, they don't have a real political agenda, they're just angry at the world and want their 10 minutes of fame and hope they'll get to see 72 virgins) space to operate because we're wondering what "we" did wrong and what we need to do to fix our government, because obviously it is at fault. Using this logic, then kids become drug addicts because government failed, people join loony tune fringe groups like the Hari Krisnas, the Jone's Town cult, and Aum Shinrikyo, or name your anarchist group because government has failed, and the list goes on and on. I don't buy it. In some cases bad government can set conditions that lead to an insurgency, but isn't what we're talking about when we address radicalization of lone wolves in the West. Generally losers that are looking for identity.

Bob's World

05-28-2013, 01:25 PM

My point was simply not every actor is motivated by politics, and in many cases few are, they are motivated more by peer pressure, or a desire to belong to something that will define them.

Nothing I said conflicts with this viewpoint, in fact I support it. That is why I separate the movement and its reason for existing from the motivations of the various individuals who opt to join or support such a movement.

The reasons for the movements are indeed political, as they are illegal challenges to some system of governance. The individuals, as you point out, join for many reasons.

We tend to conflate the two, and I think that leads to flawed thinking.

I have never suggested that "one size fits all"; but do believe that just as Clausewitz offers a broad, universal framework for thinking about warfare (external, violent political competition between two or more distinct systems of "Government-People-Army" working to exercise their will over the other; so too is there a fundamental commonality to internal, illegal, political competition. Why any individual voluteers to go off and fight in either type is personal to them as an individual, and largely unrelated to the larger dymanic at work.

I also think we do tremendous damage when we attempt to make Clausewitz apply to every form of conflict. (and yes, I realize statements like that will draw out those dedicated to the belief that Clausewitz does indeed apply to all forms of war). I also think Clausewitz applies to all forms of "war" - I just don't think that internal conflicts, regardless of how "war-like" fit into that genius/species of conflict. Attempting to force Clauswitzian logic to work in internal conflicts is, IMO, one of the major reasons why states are so bad are resolving the same. Good solution, but wrong problem.

(Visual graphic for a little humor on those who belive fervantly that CvC applies, and only fails when we just don't commit fully to the solution)

Bill Moore

05-28-2013, 07:31 PM

Agreed

davidbfpo

05-28-2013, 10:16 PM

One CT dilemma well put (in part) BY Jamie Bartlett, of Demos:
.. the crunch question that in counter-terrorism: how do you discern between the (fairly many) individuals that hold illiberal, extreme ideas that we permit in a liberal democracy and the (very few) individuals that hold the same ideas, but are also willing to act on them violently. After a lot of painstaking research, I found there is no single answer, no single pathway of radicalisation, no obvious predictive flashing signs that the police or intelligence agencies can reliably and consistently look out for. Such randomness is uncomfortable, but it's true nonetheless.

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jamie-bartlett/woolwich-why-did-mi5-miss-it_b_3343310.html

Marc Sageman chimes in, in the same e-paper:
So what advice would he give the British government? "The priority for the government right now is.. to study what's happening on the ground, as opposed to just giving out soundbites.. stop being brainwashed by this notion of 'radicalisation'. There is no such thing. Some people when they're young acquire extreme views; many of them just grow out of them. Do not overreact - you'll just create worse problems."

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/27/sageman-interview_n_3342206.html

Bill Moore

05-29-2013, 08:07 AM

One CT dilemma well put (in part) BY Jamie Bartlett, of Demos:

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jamie-bartlett/woolwich-why-did-mi5-miss-it_b_3343310.html

Marc Sageman chimes in, in the same e-paper:

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/27/sageman-interview_n_3342206.html

I like Sageman, I think his research has been validated repeatedly unlike our so called COIN experts. However, he doesn't offer a rationale solution for mitigating the threat of homegrown extremists. I agree over reacting will make the problem worse, but also believe that failure of government to act will compel elements of the population to act and they will definitely over react and target all Muslims. I see little wrong with targeting those who promote the hate speech. I don't know, but I haven't seen any reports that Anwar Awlaki gained greater importance after we killed him. Actually it appears the opposite has happened.

A lot of quotes in Sageman's article are worth noting, but will note a couple here.

"The notion that there is any serious process called 'radicalisation', or indoctrination, is really a mistake. What you have is some young people acquiring some extreme ideas - but it's a similar process to acquiring any type of ideas. It often begins with discussions with a friend."

This seems to be true in some cases, especially in the West, but the Talibs in Pakistan underwent an extensive radicalization process in the various Madrassas close to the Afghanistan border.

Sageman disagrees: foreign policy is a major factor. "If you listen to the video of that guy, Michael Adebolajo, he very much says it is because of the [Afghan] war. At what point are you going to start listening to the perpetrators who tell you why they're doing this? The same applies to the videos of the 7/7 bombers. At some point you have to be grounded in reality."

I agree our foreign policy that is played out on the 24/7 news cycle and interpreted in multiple ways on the internet provides something these lone wolves and small groups use to justify their behavior. After 10 plus years of overt war we are providing ample supporting fires for the radicals to exploit. Some wars are best fought quietly in the shadows, which is the direction the President seems to be taking us, but against considerable opposition.

As for Muslims being asked to apologise for, or condemn, terrorist acts supposedly committed 'in the name of Islam', Sageman is scathing: "Does your Conservative Party have to apologise each time the [far right] does something nasty? You're asking the same thing of the Muslim population."

Good find, I just wish he would address the other reality, which is our reality, not just the Muslim reality.

Madhu

05-30-2013, 03:22 PM

Madhu

05-30-2013, 03:27 PM

Some people when they're young acquire extreme views; many of them just grow out of them.

I guess I wonder if certain social environments make it more likely to acquire extreme views so that if most grow out of it, it also makes it likely that a few more will stay with it.

What about this article?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/radical-islamists-in-britain-prove-a-challenge-to-security-a-901959.html

I don't know how to interpret what Sageman is saying along with the information in the der Spiegel article?

Bill Moore

05-30-2013, 10:19 PM

Upon further pondering on the topic last night, I think Sageman makes some good points in a limited context, but failed to address mass radicalization in the Madrassas that created the Taliban and mass radicalization in Cambodia that created the Khmer Rouge. Complex topic, so it is important not to jump to conclusions on this.

davidbfpo

06-02-2013, 09:33 PM

Giving some context to help understand the Woolwich murder, a short RUSI comment by an academic, Professor Jonathan Githens-Mazer. The full title, then sub-title being:
Why Woolwich Matters: The South London Angle. The vivid and disgusting images witnessed in Woolwich come not necessarily from the pages of Al-Qa'ida's Inspire magazine, but out of rap videos shot in South-East London. Here is an environment that combines urban disaffection with perceived certainties from Islam.

Link:http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C51A8860A58067/#.UaiyJ5UTNhB

What struck me on my first reading was how similar the scene was to known "hot spots" for AQ recruiting, for example a couple of towns in Morocco:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/magazine/25tetouan-t.html?_r=2&oref=slogin& . Secondly how little outsiders understand what is occurring beyond their desks and journey to work.

There are several related threads on radicalisation (generally) and in the UK, in particular 'My Brother the Bomber':http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=3096

Sargent

06-03-2013, 05:42 PM

South London is also changing in other ways. Looking at just one shifting demographic, it is home to an increasing South and Central American community. Their culture* is decidedly different from that of the radical islamists - and even the more moderate portions of the Muslim community, for that matter - and it will be interesting to see how this confrontation will work itself out. There are other fault lines that will challenge jihadism. It could be that the very multi-culturalism which some see as the problem with respect to radicalisation and terrorism will serve as a bulwark against it.

[*Eg, there is a clothing shop on the Old Kent Road near the Tesco (in London, that is a meaningful geographical designation, fyi) that also deals in women's lingerie. In the front window is an ad for a thong corset, view from the rear. It is defiantly not modest.]

slapout9

06-03-2013, 08:07 PM

Video from PJTV on this subject..... has some harsh language in places but it is all part of the facts of what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6c_dinY3fM

davidbfpo

06-04-2013, 05:45 PM

Yesterday was the first official meeting of TerFor and the press reporting was bland, repeating many of the tired, old phrases used pre-Woolwich. David Cameron and Ed Miliband (Opposition leader) made short statements in the House Of Commons:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22756225

The Quilliam Foundation has a short policy statement, that too IMHO is short on detail:http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/the-need-for-a-clear-and-consistent-counter-extremism-strategy.pdf

Part of the problem is whilst the strategy may be coherent confronting and reversing an ideology needs people ready to come forward to argue, that is in short supply - excluding what one "insider" calls 'extremism entrepreneurs'.

An illustration of the difficulties the government can be found this article, a somewhat implausible coalition between an alliance between the UK and extremists:http://www.opendemocracy.net/nafeez-mosaddeq-ahmed/mi5-woolwich-failure-due-to-geopolitical-alliance-with-islamist-extremists

davidbfpo

06-07-2013, 11:06 AM

A short article from India by V. Balachandran, who started as police officer (in Mumbai) and then moved to national intelligence duties, ending as a former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat:http://www.sunday-guardian.com/analysis/deradicalisation-may-not-prevent-terrorism

davidbfpo

06-10-2013, 08:11 PM

An update on this plot (Posts 84-86 refer):
At the Old Bailey, Khan, Uddin and Ahmed were sentenced to 19-and-a-half years in jail, with a five-year extension on licence. Hasseen, Hussain and Saud were jailed for 18 years and nine months, with a five-year extension on licence.

Extended sentences, introduced in England and Wales last year, mean offenders serve at least two-thirds of their main sentence in custody (usually 40% automatically deducted for 'good behaviour'). After release, they are on licence in the community for the rest of their sentence plus the extension part. The six defendants received a reduction of a quarter in their jail terms for pleading guilty before a trial had been due to start.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22841573

Their motivation? No surprises here:
Anti-EDL bomb plot 'a reaction to calculated insults'

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22814936

davidbfpo

07-05-2013, 09:44 PM

An article whose title is too long for the SWC box: 'Fuelling the campfire – the importance of training camps to aspirant UK jihadists' by Raffaello Pantucci:http://raffaellopantucci.com/2013/07/05/fuelling-the-campfire-the-importance-of-training-camps-to-aspirant-uk-jihadists/

UK jihadists engaged in militant training in the UK and abroad during the 1990s, with training camps providing a core element the necessary preparation for jihad.

Despite a crackdown on such activities, a series of disrupted jihadist plots in the UK over the past three years have highlighted the persistence of key elements in militant training.

Most notable was the continuing importance attached to training by aspirant jihadists and the preference for travelling abroad to train with existing jihadist networks.

In my first read a couple of new snippets, this one is local to Birmingham:
For Naseer, the Darul Ihsaan gym was also a source of recruits, including the four members of a cell who pleaded guilty in October 2012 to travelling to training camps in Pakistan. The group ended up being part of Naseer’s downfall as their absence was noted by their families who vociferously complained to another prominent local individual – identified as Ahmed Faraz (alias Abu Bakr), who was convicted in December 2011 on charges of possessing terrorist material – and accused him of facilitating the men’s travel. A regular at the Darul Ihsaan gym, Faraz denied responsibility and pointed the angered families in Naseer’s direction.

davidbfpo

10-21-2013, 04:10 PM

One of the dubious benefits of having sponsored visitors:
White supremacist Pavlo Lapshyn stabbed a Muslim pensioner to death and tried to bomb three mosques after launching a one-man war against Britain’s ethnic minorities.

Lapshyn is a Ukrainian national, with very little public information about his life, especially his politics before arriving in Birmingham, for a short stay with an international engineering company. Today he pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Link to the fullest account yet:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10392463/Ukrainian-white-supremacist-launched-one-man-race-war.html

Shorter, different report:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/21/ukrainian-pleads-guilty-attacks-midland-mosques?CMP=twt_gu

The police press release:http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/press-release.asp?ID=5360

davidbfpo

10-25-2013, 06:12 PM

Lapshyn was snentenced today for murder and terrorism - to forty years jail. The judge's sentencing remarks give an insight into Lapshyn's motivation - that pre-dated his arrival in the UK; the evidence found after his arrest on his computer and more. He was identified as a suspect after one mosque bombing from a CCTV trawl and local officers showing the photo around id'd him.

Link:http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/pavlo-lapshyn-sentencing-remarks-25102013.pdf

The RUSI analyst, Raffaello Pantucci, has a commentary:http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C526A6D66DBD68/#.Umqo5NK1HfJ

davidbfpo

11-13-2013, 05:23 PM

I hardly expected a Ukrainian national to come to the UK and within days murder an old man in the street, then start a bombing campaign, that is what Pavlo Lapshyn did:
Lapshyn’s 2013 terror campaign in Britain may be termed the first instance of transnational lone-wolf right-wing terrorism. It is unlikely to become a trend, but that will not make it any easier to prevent.

The quote is from the last paragraph of a lengthy commentary, which focuses on he Ukrainian aspects, especially the denials made:http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/anton-shekhovtsov/transnational-lone-wolf-terrorist

Elsewhere others have commented (posted before on the UK CT thread), the trial judge's remarks - which are an impressive, full account of what happened and the identification of Lapshyn:http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/pavlo-lapshyn-sentencing-remarks-25102013.pdf

Then Raffaello Pantucci, of RUSI, who has long studied 'lone wolves':http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C526A6D66DBD68/#.Umqo5NK1HfJ

I am aware that LE have for sometime considered the activities of travelling serial killers, rapists and the like. People like Lapshyn are a new aspect IMHO.

Now if Lapshyn had only been a visitor, rather than on a sponsored work placement, with more skill at avoiding identification (via CCTV on public transport and a neighbourhood canvas) I fear he would have escaped.

OUTLAW 09

11-13-2013, 11:09 PM

The following was taken from Der Spiegel online today--basically the neo right want to take over Brussels and have linked up among themselves-

Initiative von Wilders und Le PenEuropas Rechtspopulisten wollen Brssel entmachten

Europas rechte Parteien haben ein Bndnis geschlossen. Der Niederlnder Wilders und die Franzsin Le Pen wollen mit Gleichgesinnten die Macht der EU ber Geld, Gesetze und Grenzen beschneiden. Dafr kommen sie dem Rechtsextremismus gefhrlich nahe.

davidbfpo

11-30-2013, 12:13 AM

Today the trial of those charged with the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby started yesterday, today the first evidence was given. It is grim reading and some have reported worse is to come:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/lee-rigby-murder-trial-hears-of-cowardly-callous-and-barbarous-attack-8972608.html

davidbfpo

12-04-2013, 08:48 PM

After several months preparation David Cameron has announced the UK government's new strategy; oddly he did so when in Beijing, an inappropriate place for such a statement - not the first time domestic security policy statements have been made whilst he is abroad.:(

The proposals include:

1) considering if there is a case for new civil powers, similar to the new anti-social behaviour powers, to target the behaviours extremists use to radicalise others
2) considering if there is a case for new types of order to ban groups which seek to undermine democracy or use hate speech, when necessary to protect the public or prevent crime and disorder
3) consulting on new legislation to strengthen the powers of the Charity Commission
4) working with internet companies to restrict access to terrorist material online which is hosted overseas but illegal under UK law and help them with their continuing efforts to identify what material to include in family-friendly filters
5) improving the process for the public to report extremist content online
6) making delivery of the Channel programme, which supports individuals at risk of being radicalised, a legal requirement in England and Wales
ensuring prisoners who have demonstrated extremist views in prison receive intervention and support on release

Link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-taskforce-recommends-new-powers-to-tackle-extremism

So far the suggestions have had a mixed reaction in the media:http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/04/us-britain-radicals-idUSBRE9B30PB20131204

Brooke Rogers @ Kings War Studies, has a four minute pre-publication podcast and was optimistic:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMaThuywXZ0&feature=youtu.be

davidbfpo

12-19-2013, 11:13 PM

Not surprisingly the two defendants were found guilty of murder yesterday, after pleading not guilty by a jury in London. BBC main story:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25450555

A more reflective lessons learnt commentary: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22641541

An odd report on one suspects apparent links with MI5 (Security Service), which starts with:
MI5 was still in contact with Islamist fanatic Michael Adebolajo just months before he murdered soldier Lee Rigby, it has been claimed. Adebolajo said members of the Security Service were contacting him “earlier this year” in the hope of turning him into an informant, according to sources close to his defence team.

This aspect of the case has been mentioned before; the article suggests no clear, public answer will be forthcoming:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10528042/Could-MI5-have-prevented-murder-of-Lee-Rigby.html

davidbfpo

12-21-2013, 07:22 PM

After the result of the Woolwich murder trial (Drummer Lee Rigby) and I expect general satisfaction with the verdict - along comes a non-violent challenge to HMG's "new, tough" stance on extremism.

Anjem Choudary is a well known publicist for his extremist views, so after the Woolwich verdict - and he knew one of the defendants - one would expect him to try to get publicity. No worries, the BBC invited him onto the leading Radio Four breakfast current affairs programme 'Today', with a prime time twelve minute interview slot.

Now there is free speech, but why enable such a minority extremist to have such prominent airtime? Well explained in this commentary:http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100251464/the-bbc-putting-anjem-choudary-on-the-today-programme-isnt-free-speech-its-trolling/

Now social media stats may not be great evidence of support or just mere watching, but these figures put him in context:
Choudary no more represents mainstream British Muslims that the Westboro Baptist Church represents American Christians. He is a fringe voice in a fringe community. He has, for instance, 6,700 Twitter followers – around half that, to pick an example pretty much at random, of Julian Huppert, the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge. His YouTube channel, in which he talks about the establishment of an Islamic caliphate, has 1,300 subscribers. For comparison, the Slow Mo Guys (http://www.youtube.com/user/theslowmoguys), two British public schoolboys who blow stuff up and film it on a super-high-speed camera and say "dude" a lot, have somewhat over three million.

This is not his first such hatred broadcast, yes he is a trained British lawyer, who reportedly lives on state benefits and I know many Muslims who wonder why he has so rarely been prosecuted. Is he a "useful idiot"?
Background report:http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seanthomas/100250831/laws-against-inciting-hatred-funny-how-an-islamist-hate-preacher-is-never-prosecuted/

davidbfpo

02-14-2014, 08:04 PM

Via a "lurker:
Within 1 year of the 9/11 attacks, arrests in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000 had increased by 151%. In the decade following 9/11, only 8.1% of all people arrested in the UK for terrorism have gone on to be convicted for a terror offence.

All the figures are official:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/116756/hosb1112.pdf

davidbfpo

02-25-2014, 07:53 PM

This PIRA attack reappeared in May 2013 with an arrest and charge of a suspect, who was in transit from Northern Ireland to Greece via London Gatwick and today the case collapsed due to an error by the PSNI. The BBC has a long report, which starts with:
A man accused of killing four soldiers in the 1982 IRA Hyde Park bombing will not be prosecuted because he was given a guarantee he would not face trial.

It follows a judge's ruling that an official assurance given in error meant John Downey - who had denied murder - could not be prosecuted.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26342465

davidbfpo

11-23-2014, 08:22 PM

For obscure reasons the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) report on the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby @ Woolwich, May 2014 has been extensively "leaked" before full publication this week. This is one example:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11229367/Online-clues-may-have-signalled-plans-of-Lee-Rigby-killers-report-expected-to-reveal.html

Needless to say an 'agenda' is at work as this opening section points at:
Vital internet activities of Lee Rigby murderer Michael Adebolajo that could have revealed his horrific plans were not flagged up to MI5 by overseas Internet companies, a major report is expected to reveal next week. In the months leading up to the brutal murder in May last year, some of Adebolajo’s online behaviour could have pointed to his intentions but the Security Service was only aware of them after the outrage.

(Qualified later with) The material that later emerged was held by Internet service providers in America who had not alerted it to the authorities – possibly because they were not aware themselves. Just whether the ISC will explain the decision-making of those involved, mainly the Security Service (MI5), is a moot point. For example his apparent assisted return from Kenya, without a prosecution in the UK.

(Added) The Guardian has a rather different story, which asks more questions of the ISC's allegedly (and likely) limited exploration of what happened:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/23/lee-rigby-murder-inquiry-criticised-witnesses-security-services-cleared

davidbfpo

11-25-2014, 10:15 PM

Well the ISC report has been published and at least one member, a Conservative MP, wondered whether it had been used to advance the government's agenda.

Then the "spin" machine worked up a lather about those terrible US-based internet providers who didn't help; by not telling the UK authorities till after Lee Rigby's murder, that he had on-line made threats to attack a soldier. Later the BBC named the unhelpful internet provider as Facebook.

See:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30191218 and http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/25/lee-rigby-murder-internet-firms-blame-rifkind

Hours later the UK press had read the report and found some mistakes, if not sloth in the intelligence agencies. For example:
There were repeated chances to investigate him and Michael Adebowale; the very day of the murder, the home secretary was presented with – and signed – an application to tap Adebowale’s communications, a procedure given “routine” urgency, and one that had taken a month.Link:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/25/lee-rigby-murder-no-extension-internet-snooping and a very detailed missed opportunities list:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11254324/Lee-Rigby-report-the-missed-opportunities.html

That story concludes:
And in the end, it wasn’t emails that killed Lee Rigby. It was a pair of extremists known to the intelligence services, who had been in regular contact via monitored phones, who used kitchen knives. The clues were all there. What was needed was the intelligence to connect them.Whatever the criticism the people who murdered Lee Rigby were responsible, not the Security Service or other official bodies. Accurate, timely assessment of potential threats is not 100% accurate.

A detailed critical review:https://www.openrightsgroup.org/ourwork/reports/isc-report-on-woolwich-attack-gets-its-maths-wrong

davidbfpo

01-10-2015, 10:28 PM

With events in France little attention has been paid to the UK-based radical preacher Abu Hamza's trial and sentencing in New York:
The sentencing yesterday of ....to life in prison by a US judge for terrorist crimes committed between 1998 and 2001, when Abu Hamza was based in Britain, is a reminder of a simpler time, when there were far fewer extremist preachers and the role of the internet in spreading their message was minor and inconsequential.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11335561/Abu-Hamza-had-the-same-rights-as-anybody-else.-That-shows-the-strength-of-our-society.html

The author Richard Barrett (ex-SIS) comments wisely on what has changed since the time the name "Londonistan" was used.

I am somewhat puzzled at this passage, for if he does not know who will?

We are still at the beginning of our understanding of the appeal of violent extremism, and even further behind in working out how to counter it.

davidbfpo

01-11-2015, 12:58 PM

Andrew Gilligan is a columnist, if not reporter for The Daily Telegraph, who ar times can be controversial, especially as he unearths information that one would expect officialdom would prefer not be public. He is seen by some Muslims as a constant critic and appears to often benefit from "leaks" from officialdom.

This article is critical of the UK CT strategy, principally the 'Prevent' strand:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11337340/Paris-attacks-Why-this-could-happen-in-Britain.html

His conclusion:
The Paris attackers underwent a long period of radicalisation. At the moment, Britain’s procedures to counter that process are not in great shape – another reason why an attack here is so likely. New legislation aims to increase the effectiveness of Channel, and to force agencies to work together. But for the moment, the Intelligence and Security Committee’s bleak conclusion that “the Government’s counter-terrorism programmes are not working” seems about right.

davidbfpo

01-14-2015, 04:06 PM

For two ex-Security Service directors to wonder aloud critically on the UK's CT strategy is unprecedented, even more so as the effects of Paris are in political and media foreground.

Eliza Manningham-Buller, who retired as Director in 2007, spoke in a House of Lords debate on the government's latest proposed CT law:
It seems to me that Prevent is clearly not working. This is not altogether surprising because it is difficult. We do not really know what works. I retired nearly eight years ago. I know that a great deal of effort has gone into thinking about how to counter this toxic and murderous ideology. I believe that we must have a better understanding of the roots of terrorism than we used to, and a better understanding of how to divert people—particularly vulnerable young people who have, in some cases, been groomed and exploited—from their path.
Some of those who come back from Syria will not be terrorists; some need to be reintegrated. The Channel programme is obviously to be applauded, but I am still concerned that it is bound to be slow, even over the long term.
It is understandable that it will be slow, but we do not seem—I beg to be corrected by others who are more up to date than me—to be having much effect. We are told that 600 dangerous extremists who are British citizens have fought in Syria. That is a large number. If Prevent had been working for the past 10 years, we might not have seen so many going.
It follows that I rather doubt that the Government, however laudable their efforts, are well placed to counter this ideology. A lead on that has and is beginning to come from moderate, mainstream Islam, which has itself suffered so much from the distorted version of its faith propounded by terrorists. One of the most appalling scenes from Paris was that of the Muslim policeman on the pavement being executed brutally by one of the terrorists.
It also follows, therefore, that I am not convinced of the value of putting Prevent on a statutory footing. I am out of date. The Government may be able to convince me, but I cannot see how legislation can really govern hearts, minds and free speech.Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11344281/MI5-chief-Blairs-anti-jihadist-programme-has-failed.html and her full speech is on:http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2015-01-13a.750.0

Jonathan Evans, who retired as Director in April 2013, in a maiden speech in the House of Lords, stated:
....the “hesitancy” of the Government to “engage with the religious dimension of the threat we face” was making it harder to prevent young men becoming radicalised....events in Syria and Iraq had caused a “jolt of energy that has gone through the extremist networks in this country”, turning would-be jihadists into battle-hardened terrorists. A similar situation existed in Afghanistan before 9/11, he said, and: “Those circumstances led to a series of attacks internationally and over a long period. I fear we may be facing the same situation as we go forward today…
“Inadequate security will breed vulnerability and fear and that in turn will tend to limit people’s ability to contribute to civil society, will tend to provoke vigilantism and will tend to diminish people’s ability to exercise the very civil liberties and human rights that we wish to sustain.”Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11343802/Britain-will-descend-into-vigilantism-unless-security-measures-are-stepped-up-former-MI5-boss-warns.html and his entire speech is on:http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2015-01-13a.690.0

'Prevent' is one of the four strands in 'Operation Contest', the UK national CT strategy; the other three strands are Pursue, Prepare and Protect.

'Prevent' has long been the weakest strand, both in its design, level of resourcing, public acceptance and credibility.

There are two main SWC threads on UK CT:
a) UK CT:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=7768
b) Foreign Fighters: preventative action (UK mainly):http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=20549

Leaving aside the impact here I do wonder as the 'Contest' strategy has been widely copied elsewhere, will those nations think again. I include the USA, where CVE is the 'Prevent' equivalent.

Bizarrely Westminster-Whitehall have managed to think and now via this new law make counter-radicalisation extend to nursery schools! When six hundred people have reported left to fight in Syria, that does seem weird.

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11343802/Britain-will-descend-into-vigilantism-unless-security-measures-are-stepped-up-former-MI5-boss-warns.html)

davidbfpo

02-27-2015, 08:03 PM

Amidst all the reporting on 'Jihad John' being unmasked the government has published its detailed response to the ISC report on the murder of Lee Rigby (see Post 135 & 136):http://isc.independent.gov.uk/files/20150226_ISC_Woolwich_Rpt_Govt_response.pdf?attred irects=0

Spin aside there are some items of note, notably on handling information and joint assessment i.e. by MI5 and the police.

davidbfpo

04-10-2015, 11:07 AM

Four in 10 British Muslims believe that police and MI5 are partly responsible for the radicalisation of young people who support extremists, new polling has found. A survey commissioned by Sky News, also found that more than a quarter of British Muslims have some sympathy with those who have left to join fighters in Syria. Among Muslim women and those under the age of 35, the figure rises to a third.

While almost three quarters of Muslims polled said they believe the “values of British society” are compatible with those of their religion, one in seven said they were not.Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11526430/MI5-and-police-partly-to-blame-for-radicalisation-say-four-in-10-British-Muslims.html

A shorter Sky News report:http://news.sky.com/story/1462023/radicalisation-third-of-muslims-blame-police

(http://news.sky.com/story/1462023/radicalisation-third-of-muslims-blame-police)

davidbfpo

04-25-2015, 07:14 PM

One of the UK's persistent "hot spots" for suspected terrorism-related activity is Dudley, a borough within 'The Black Country', to the west of Birmingham in the West Midlands.

In 2001 in Afghanistan three young men were detained and later transferred to Guantanamo Bay until March 2004. They became known as the 'Tipton Taliban', Tipton being a part of Dudley. Wiki has a good explanation:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipton_Three

Earlier this month Aimen Dean revealed:
In the winter of 2003 jihadist turned MI5 spy Aimen Dean attended a lecture by Anwar al-Awlaki, a man he had never heard of but who would become an inspiration to Islamist extremists throughout the world. Also listening, and taking notes, were three of London's 7/7 bombers.In a converted flat on the first floor of a building in the Black Country town of Dudley, about 30 men were gathered to hear a lecture by an American visitor who was building a reputation as an inspirational jihadist scholar.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32065132

This week 'The Daily Mail' ran a story on man who'd had left Dudley to join ISIS:
A British former car mechanic who joined the Islamic State as an explosives expert and sniper has shared chilling images of his new high-tech bomb-making factory in Syria.Hamayun Tariq, a divorced 37-year-old who was born and raised in Dudley in the West Midlands, shared four images on Twitter of a room where he claims to make devices known as IEDs.
Components are seen organised on shelves and instruction manuals and bomb-making equipment neatly laid out on work surfaces in the room, which the father-of-two says he hopes will emerge as 'the best Electronics LAB in the Islamic state'.
Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3050316/Inside-ISIS-bomb-making-factory-Islamist-Birmingham-reveals-equipment-uses-create-weapons-new-life-Islamic-State.html

Doubt is cast on the claimed 'bomb maker' by a SME:
Bomb builder ? I doubt it. Skilled technician ? Yes. Decent tools ? Yes, but far more than ever needed even in the automotive sector for high end cars. Everything is out of place, the wall sockets are not UK standard, and half of the equipment is not even connected.

To build a bomb of any size does not require much more than: Explosive(s), a detonation charge, an electrical connection and a container.

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32065132)

davidbfpo

06-13-2015, 07:13 PM

Written an almost travelogue writing style an article on how Portsmouth, the historical home of the Royal Navy, has earnt this headline: 'How Portsmouth became a hotbed of radicalised Muslims and far-right thug' and sub-title: Why has extremism been so able to take hold in Portsmouth - and what is being done to stop it?
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11665456/How-Portsmouth-became-a-hotbed-of-radicalised-Muslims-and-far-right-thugs.html?

Some context:
Portsmouth is a gritty naval city, still predominantly white British (84 per cent of its 205,000 population) and working class. Its 4,000-strong Bangladeshi community, the second largest ethnic group...Since the Pompey Lads left for Syria in 2013, close to double figures of men and women in their teens and 20s from the city have been stopped from making the journey. ...Hampshire Constabulary has had ‘hundreds’ of referrals of young people deemed at risk of radicalisation from extreme Islam or the far right.

(Whoops) Mashudur Choudhury, who before going to Syria was recruited by the council under Prevent funding to help stop violent extremism.

davidbfpo

06-15-2015, 05:11 AM

After the news that a West Yorkshire teenager, believed to have become Britain’s youngest suicide bomber, Talha Asmal, 17, following an ISIS release of photos and a statement saying that he detonated a VBIED in the northern Iraqi town of Baiji, a numbere of reactions.

His family issued this statement:
Talha was a loving, kind, caring and affable teenager.....He never harboured any ill-will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind. Talha’s tender years and naivety were, it seems however, exploited by persons unknown, who, hiding behind the anonymity of the worldwide web, targeted and befriended Talha and engaged in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him. Whilst there it appears that Talha fell under the spell of individuals who continued to prey on his innocence and vulnerability to the point where if the press reports are accurate he was ordered to his death by so-called Isis handlers and leaders too cowardly to do their own dirty work.
We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken by the unspeakable tragedy that now appears to have befallen us.Links:http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/14/west-yorkshire-teenager-talha-asmal-britain-youngest-suicide-bomber

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-33126132
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-33129806

A BBC report from Baghdad has the photos and a succinct quote stated to be from the family:
ISIS, not and never in our name.

(Later the reporter asks) how many more will follow him?Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33128063

AdamG

06-17-2015, 04:55 PM

There seems to be an overlap here worthy of a Venn diagram with the typical "urban yout" criminal, wherein the parents always cry to the cameras that "he was a good boy, sang in the church, was just turning his life around and didn't do nothing".

Exploitation by predators of poorly-parented youths is to be expected, whether they be pimps, drug dealers or jihadis (again, possibly time for another Venn diagram there).

davidbfpo

06-25-2015, 07:18 AM

In a speech the UK's top civil servant on CT, Charles Farr (ex-SIS) stated:
As few as 100 Britons may currently be fighting for Isil...compared to the 2.7 million Muslims in the country. It’s not to say the challenges they pose are not significant, they are. But … the more we overstate them the more, frankly, we risk labelling Muslim communities as somehow intrinsically extremist, which actually despite an unprecedented wealth of social media propaganda, they have proved not to be. So I think we need to be cautious with our metaphors and with our numbers.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11692385/Top-security-chief-warns-against-portraying-Muslims-as-intrinsically-extremist.html

davidbfpo

07-07-2015, 06:11 PM

7/7 was not an attack on the scale of 9/11, but for Londoners first and the rest of the UK it was terrible.

Amidst all the coverage I have found a few excellent, reflective articles:

1) In The Guardian: 7/7 seemed to herald a new era of terror on UK soil – one that did not materialise:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/07/london-bombings-new-era-terror-uk-did-not-materialise-mi5-mi6-gchq

2) In The Independent:Iraq war not to blame for 7/7 bombings, insists Tony Blair:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraq-war-not-to-blame-for-uk-terror-attacks-insists-tony-blair-10370649.html

3) The then Labour Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, made a remarkable two minute speech (from Malaysia where he was). I rarely agree with him, he did us all proud that day:http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8777000/8777643.stm

4) Two BBC pieces: 7 July London bombings: 15 changes to anti-terror planning:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33388286 and a commentary 7/7 anniversary: Is the UK any safer now?:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33415475

davidbfpo

09-01-2015, 01:00 PM

I have reviewed Raffaello Pantucci's book elsewhere (link below), but Owen Bennett-Jones, a BBC reporter, if not sage, has written a review and commentary on the wider UK CT policy in The London Review of Books. See the attachment.

My review:
'We Love Death As you Love Life: Britain's Suburban Terrorists' by Raffaello Pantucci is a must read on why British nationals turned to terrorism. It is not a history of the attacks and the response.

davidbfpo

09-08-2015, 01:18 PM

A Kings of War commentary after yesterday statement by PM David Cameron that two weeks ago, in Syria, two British citizens plotting with ISIS were killed in a drone strike:http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2015/09/britains-al-awlaki-moment-sortof/?

From the PM's statement:
First, I am clear that the action we took was entirely lawful. The Attorney General was consulted and was clear there would be a clear legal basis for action in international law. We were exercising the UK’s inherent right to self-defence. There was clear evidence of the individuals in question planning and directing armed attacks against the UK. These were part of a series of actual and foiled attempts to attack the UK and our allies.As the author says the Uk is not like the USA:
The British political system has markedly fewer constraints on the exercise of power by the Prime Minister.The BBC magazine has a good review on the legal status of the attack?
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34184856

Today's BBC News report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34181475

Another Kings comment, on Strife opposing the action:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11849899/Britain-targeting-its-own-citizens-in-Isil-drone-strike-sets-dangerous-precedent.html

Legality aside and the clamour for a review, more information being released etc it is interesting to learn that the UK and presumably allies could 'Find, Fix & Finish' the apparent plotters amidst all the noise of ISIS activity. Presumably the UK drone had been on standby for days before releasing a missile / bomb.

Was there an alternative? Oddly it appears the government has returned to Mrs Thatcher's insistence on TINA: there is no alternative.

Drones and much of UK CT strategy is effectively containment of those who are violent, pending optimistically a political change. Ulster is a good example of this. Just how long we can wait, let alone after a successful ISIS-inspired attack is a moot point.

davidbfpo

09-12-2015, 01:21 PM

An interesting commentary by a "left" leaning, British Sikh journalist and academic:http://qz.com/498409/british-muslims-are-losing-the-war-against-isil/#

Stories of British Muslims running off to Syria have now become almost routine, and show no sign of abating. What’s more worrying is that this is happening despite a loud chorus of British Muslim outrage against the terror group. They have marched (http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/business-news/london-news/british-muslims-stage-anti-isis-protest-march-in-london/9163.article) against it, declared jihad (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/young-british-muslims-declare-own-jihad-against-isis-and-other-terrorists-who-hijack-islam-10146534.html) on it, published fatwas (http://www.rt.com/uk/184112-british-muslim-fatwa-isis/) against it, written articles slamming it, expressed their contempt, signed letters and delivered sermons against it. But despite all their outrage, British Muslims are losing the war against ISIL. Badly. It looks like ISIL is more attractive to Muslims than al-Qaeda ever was.

(Later) ISIL is particularly potent because it offers Muslims a tangible sense of belonging, wrapped up in glorified Islamic history. This makes it a far more formidable foe for governments trying to stop its citizens being seduced by its call compared to groups such as al-Qaeda.
But for the vast majority of Muslims who disdain its ideology, the challenge that ISIL presents to them is deadlier and far more difficult because they are caught in a pincer movement: with public and government suspicion on one side, and a seductive and supposedly empowering ideology on the other.

davidbfpo

10-03-2015, 08:52 PM

A boy who attempted to incite a man in Australia to carry out an Anzac Day "massacre" has become the the youngest person in the UK to be convicted of a terrorism offence.The teenager - who was referred to as Boy S in court and was 14 years old at the time - was given a life sentence and told he must serve a minimum of five years behind bars.
But could more have been done to challenge and stop the development of his violent mindset?
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34422309

Yes the age is a concern, but far more notable is the apparent failure of the official programme to divert those radicalised away from extremism.

davidbfpo

10-05-2015, 10:43 PM

From a Tweet by the BBC's Gordon Corera, citing the Uk's top CT police officer, Mark Rowley (from the Met):
Mark Rowley of Met says over 750 Brits to Syria, half returned. ISIS 'cult' increasingly exploiting mentally vulnerable... (then) All counter terror ops patchier in intelligence than before due to growing blind spots in getting comms...Police having to prolong dangerous operations and delay arrests as encryption slowing down gathering evidence.

davidbfpo

11-18-2015, 10:34 AM

The setting for the two quotes on this theme is:
Commissioners and chief constables are kicking off up and down the country, from London’s Met to Liverpool, with unprecedented protest at the 25% of cuts they have suffered and worse to come in next week’s spending review. As France’s president, François Hollande, announces he is boosting its police force by 5,000, Britain is scaling back. Nationally, 17,000 police officers have gone, with another 22,000 to go this time: neighbourhood police no longer pound the streets in many areas.Link:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/17/britain-police-cuts-theresa-may

From the same article is an example from Bedfordshire, a small county north of London, although not a terrorist plot, maybe the prelude:
What worries them most is no longer patrolling neighbourhoods as they did, listening and earning local trust. In the past, a neighbourhood tip-off from a local Muslim led them to a machete-wielding convert from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Islamicism – building up these kind of contacts takes time they’re unlikely to have in the future.Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has carefully added the standard "form of words" post-Paris as doubts are being heard amongst Conservative MPs:
When people trust the polcie...they tell us stuff. They might tell us who is burgling...they might tell us when someone is becoming a terrorist, when someone is becoming more radical in their behaviour. We've got to have those links.Link:http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/theresa-may-urged-to-defend-police-budgets-after-paris-attacks-a3116811.html

From the Soufan Group's briefing:
Given the virtual avalanche of threats, this is likely true; even more disruptions may remain undisclosed in order to protect sources and means. However, as international terrorism strikes out through local cells (http://soufangroup.com/tsg-intelbrief-a-call-to-terror-inspiration-driven-wolf-packs/), the need for human sources is as vital as ever. Only human sources can assign proper context and priority (http://soufangroup.com/tsg-intelbrief-the-local-war-on-global-jihad/) to targeted extremists,Link:http://soufangroup.com/tsg-intelbrief-paris-and-the-pain-of-hindsight/

davidbfpo

11-23-2015, 02:10 PM

Officialdom here makes great play of the diversion / counter-radicalisation programme the Channel Project and rarely publishes any stats, so thanks to a senior police officer writing an article on community policing's part in CT:
In the first quarter of this year, the Prevent programme, which seeks to provide a path away from extremism – of all forms – had 1265 referrals from public bodies outside of policing. A further 150 came from family, friends, community members and faith leaders.
Link:https://policinginsight.com/opinion/dont-cut-the-golden-thread-chancellor/

So that means just over 10% of referrals come from the community, that is not encouraging and we know many public body referrals are not about radicalisation.

The author adds:
And a national survey this year of almost 15,000 young people found more than half would be likely to tell a police officer of their concerns about radicalisation. Only parents were more likely to be told. This is more than any other public official, including teachers, doctors or youth workers.

Alas this survey is not identified.

I have copied this post to another thread 'Who discovers terrorist plots?'.

davidbfpo

12-15-2015, 10:59 AM

Following a conviction for a pre-empted terror attack an anonymous senior (police) CT officer made these remarks:
This is quite a critical issue and is obviously a dilemma for us in terms of taking passports off extremists. The dilemma is if they want to carry out a terrorist attack they are constrained to carry it out here. It is one of those risk factors when we take passports off people. Are we actually making the risk of them carrying out a terrorist attack here higher?
It is called the home and away debate. Do you let them go? Are they going to be dangerous overseas or more dangerous here? It is a dilemma for us and it is not an easy one.
It depends on other factors at play. It depends on where they are going to go and what they are going to do. If the risk of them carrying on being radicalised and carrying on this activity is reduced by them going to another country then there may be a consideration to let them go because they are more of a risk here and more of a threat here with the company they are keeping.
They may have a relative or a family (overseas) and that may moderate them...Generally speaking we do not want to be letting or allowing a radicalised individual here to go to a war zone or a place like Syria where they can then come back even more trained and back to their home country on their own passport. Most of the time, if we can, we are going to stop them travelling.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/12050779/Extremists-allowed-to-leave-UK-to-ease-home-terror-threat.html

One wonders if this issue has some political involvement and may jar with some partners. Or just maybe others do this as a public policy, just do not say so publicly.

davidbfpo

12-26-2015, 07:21 PM

Hardly surprising and little different from a recent post above; as The Times is behind a pay wall this source is used:
The Times says that data released by the National Police Chiefs Council has revealed that of the 3,288 referrals to Prevent in the first half of the year, just 280 – or 8.6% – came from within the Muslim community, or from family, friends and faith leaders. Nearly 2,200 referrals were made by public bodies outside policing, such as social services and the health or education sectors. The rest were said to have come from within prisons or from police investigations.
Link:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/dec/25/prevent-programme-lacking-referrals-from-muslim-community

davidbfpo

02-19-2016, 09:27 PM

A far from impartial group, CAGE, has "leaked" the training materials used in the Prevent programme, including the Channel Project and placed them on a separate website:http://www.preventresources.com/

Given the interest in the claimed success of Prevent, copied by CVE in the USA, the videos etc maybe of interest.

davidbfpo

02-20-2016, 04:28 PM

Tweeted by the UK police chiefs association; never seen them do this before. Even odder is that it is arrests and not charges laid, most of those arrested are not charged with any terror-related offences.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cbg1s_uWAAEDWjX.jpg:large

davidbfpo

04-25-2016, 08:31 PM

David Anderson, a leading English lawyer, is the UK's Independent Reviewer of Counter-Terrorism Law (and practice), who has a earned a remarkable reputation and recently announced he'd vacate the role.

He has written a short article on the legal response to terrorism, in an obscure legal journal, but Tweeted it:https://terrorismlegislationreviewer.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/article-1.pdf

Within is this important polling result:
Around 95% of British Muslims feel loyalty to Britain, according to a poll last year for the Today Programme. 94% say that if someone they knew from the Muslim community was planning an act of violence, they would inform the police.

davidbfpo

06-09-2016, 08:37 PM

Andy Burnham, a Labour MP and ex-minister, has "broken ranks" from all the main parties on the Prevent part of UK CT:
The Prevent strategy and potentially this extremism bill are creating the conditions for more radicalisation not less. It’s as simple as that really...It is creating a feeling in the Muslim community that it is being spied upon and unfairly targeted. It is building a climate of mutual suspicion and distrust. Far from tackling extremism, it risks creating the very conditions for it to flourish.
Link:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/09/andy-burnham-calls-for-toxic-prevent-strategy-to-be-scrapped? (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/09/andy-burnham-calls-for-toxic-prevent-strategy-to-be-scrapped?CMP=share_btn_tw)

davidbfpo

07-17-2016, 10:57 AM

A short article by the BBC's veteran reporter Peter Taylor, a key passage:
Crucially they also rely on the way in which intelligence is now intimately shared between all the agencies: the Security Service (MI5), MI6, GCHQ - and the police. This is the key to keeping Britain safe - although it's by no means guaranteed.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36803542

davidbfpo

07-28-2016, 09:26 AM

In marked contrast to Peter Taylor's assessment (above Post) there are two news reports that suggest bureaucracy is hard at work slowing action down.

Radicalization in prisons has long been an issue, one aspect is the books available in libraries:
Extremist books were found in prison libraries seven months after the Government was told they should be removed, according to reports.The presence of Islamist literature, some encouraging jihad, in prisons was reported to the Ministry of Justice in November, according to the BBC. But the texts remained in prison chaplaincies until June 2016.Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/28/extremist-books-encouraging-jihad-kept-in-prison-libraries-seven/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36419430

One legal weapon to restrict terrorism suspects are Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIM), which replaced the much criticised and forlorn Control Orders (for those in the UK as immigrants, who could not be deported). So it is odd there is now only one TPIM in force:
They are designed to curb the person’s movements and activities and expire after two years. The solitary Tpim contrasts with estimates by a former senior counter terrorism police officer that there are around 2,000 people known to anti-terror authorities.Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/27/only-one-tpim-terror-control-order-is-in-place-in-britain-amid-s/

For a balanced view on TPIMs this is the view of the Independent Reviewer of CT Legislation:https://terrorismlegislationreviewer.independent.gov.uk/tpims-in-2014-march-2015/

davidbfpo

08-01-2016, 09:59 AM

Asst. Commissioner Rowley (national lead for CT) has written a blog on the UK's CT success so far:
But for me our greatest advantage is the cooperation between the public and the police. It has often been said that ‘communities defeat terrorism’ and now that’s more important than ever before.
The true scale of that collaboration is impressive, but rarely explained. The fact is that we see at least 3,639 contributions from the public every day, helping keep us all safe in our collective effort against terrorism.
Every call, every referral, every briefing is part of our joint fight against terrorism...All these contributions are critically important to our ability to keep each other safe.Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/01/publics-help-is-vital-to-stopping-terrorists-says-met-commissioner (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/01/publics-help-is-vital-to-stopping-terrorists-says-met-commissioner)

Or his original article:http://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/mark-rowley-blog-communities-defeat-terrorism-3639-times-a-day

The cited 3,639 contributions he later detailed as people visiting CT-related training, briefings and websites.

In fact the direct help was when members of the public assisted police by calling the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on average 32 times a day and making on average five referrals of extremist material online and two of potential radicalisation.

For those who seek more there is a RUSI April 2016 podcast (33mins), when Mak Chisty, the UK's most senior Muslim police officer, responsible for CT & communities in London:https://rusi.org/event/terrorism-starts-and-finishes-our-neighbourhoods-commander-mak-chishty-security-securitisation

AdamG

08-04-2016, 08:35 PM

A Norwegian national of Somali origin has been arrested on suspicion of murdering an American woman and injuring five others, including Britons, in what was described by police as a “spontaneous attack”.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard headquarters, Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said there was no evidence that the 19-year-old suspect had been radicalised or was motivated by terrorism and reasserted the view that “mental health issues” played a significant role.

The suspect emigrated from Norway to the UK in 2002, at the age of five, according to the Norwegian Embassy.

“While the investigation is not yet complete, all of the work we have done so far increasingly points to this tragic incident as having been triggered by mental health issues,” Rowley said. “Indeed at this time we believe it was a spontaneous attack and the victims were selected at random.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/04/woman-killed-in-russell-square-attack-was-american-citizen

Once again, insanity and radical Islam are not mutually exclusive. I'll bet this "Nothing found" in the first 24 hour news cycle changes as time passes, but promptly gets flushed down the memory hole.

"Police arrested a 19-year-old Norwegian national of Somali origin. They say there is no evidence of radicalisation.

Speaking at a press conference, the Met's assistant commissioner for specialist operations, Mark Rowley, said the police investigation "increasingly points" to the attack being "triggered by mental health issues"."
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36972126

Nothing to see here, move along. Move along. Move along.

davidbfpo

08-04-2016, 10:17 PM

AdamG,

Leaving aside the reporting so far I did wonder why the murder and attacks on others took place so close to the location so close to Russell Square. Where a London red double-decker bus was blown apart; the image became 'the' iconic image of the 7/7 bombings in 2005:https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1446658/7-7-bus-bomb.jpg

Earlier in the day the Met Police (with Mayor Sadiq Khan) did a major PR show, on the increased numbers of armed police on patrol in London, in particular the specialist CT officers. It was the lead news item here and by the late evening had gone from the screens:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36961338

AdamG

08-25-2016, 09:49 AM

Tangential location: Denial flows through the Outback.

A Frenchman was on Thursday charged with stabbing to death a young British woman backpacker in Australia, but police found he showed no signs of radicalisation despite saying "Allahu Akbar" during the attack.

Twenty-nine-year-old Smail Ayad was accused of stabbing Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, multiple times late Tuesday at a hostel in Home Hill, a rural town in north Queensland state.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/frenchman-charged-with-killing-uk-backpacker-in-australia/ar-BBw1Kov?ocid=spartandhp

Windows97

08-26-2016, 01:40 AM

Leaving aside the reporting so far I did wonder why the murder and attacks on others took place so close to the location so close to Russell Square.

I always thought, and I think there was some journalistic reporting along similar lines, that the bomber was leaving his stomping ground of Edgware Road (large Arab population) and then bottled it, losing his nerve or resolve, only to finally think "#### it" and detonate far from his actual target. Funnily enough the bus was on its way past a stop I used to get off at for SOAS. SOAS, was formerly a prestigious institution but had, by the time I left in 2005, finally succumbed to the Muslim student body (the few Jewish students would often be seen leaving quickly to go to UCL and Hillel House and never socialised in SOAS itself). I wonder if the bomber was off to see his friends and show them his new outfit? ;)

Earlier in the day the Met Police (with Mayor Sadiq Khan) did a major PR show, ...

Ah yes, Sadiq Khan, the leader of the Islamic fifth column's project of gleichschaltung in the London area of operations. A man who is backing Owen Smith (for obvious reasons (http://order-order.com/2016/08/17/owen-smith-need-get-isis-round-table/)) as the next leader of the Labour Party as opposed to its current leader Jeremy Corbyn (both of whom are utter twats) but who may actually merely be preparing to run as Vozhd'/Вождь himself.

We live in interesting times.

davidbfpo

08-26-2016, 09:09 PM

An all too familiar face on UK TV screens, in newspapers and quite possibly a few times in the USA, a British Islamic radical Anjem Choudary was finally convicted two weeks ago:
For 20 years Anjem Choudary stood on street corners, in shopping precincts, outside mosques, embassies and police stations and used his megaphone to drive a wedge between Muslims and the rest of Britain. Now he has been convicted of inviting others to support the Islamic State militant group.
Link to a full account:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36979892

http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/7707/production/_90717403_aj-976afpgetty-483014096.jp.jpg

He was always ready to speak to the media, although wary of documentary makers and to many became the voice of radical, violen Islam.

He remains in custody awaiting sentencing next month and could get up to ten years in jail.

An academic, Andrew Silke has written on what to expect when he is in jail. For reasons that defy an easy explanation handling convicted terrorists in UK jails is - to say the least - incomplete.
Link:https://theconversation.com/how-can-anjem-choudary-be-stopped-from-radicalising-other-prisoners-64144

Just how Anjem Choudary evaded prosecution has been controversial for a long time; yes, he was a trained lawyer who knew where the legal limits on his words were. IIRC twice UK newspaper submitted evidence after his vitriolic speeches were caught on video. Several Muslims I know speculated he was really working for MI5.

So this headline is not a shock:
MI5 stopped Scotland Yard taking Choudary down, sources claim
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/21/mi5-stopped-scotland-yard-taking-choudary-down-sources-claim/

davidbfpo

09-06-2016, 06:48 PM

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary has been jailed for five-and-a-half years for inviting support for the so-called Islamic State group....Both men were also sentenced to a notification order lasting 15 years, which requires them to tell police if details such as their address change.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37284199

Given the law on time served on remand and expected good behaviour The Guardian thinks:
Choudary will serve two years behind bars...Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/06/anjem-choudary-jailed-for-five-years-and-six-months-for-urging-support-of-isis

davidbfpo

01-01-2017, 09:05 PM

The about to retire lawyer, David Anderson, who is the Independent Reviewer of Counter-Terrorism Legislation, has commented on recent government legislation, the Investigative Powers Act (IPA), primarily on covert investigation (including "Big Brother" allegations) and a long awaited, draft bill on counter-extremism (undefined to date). In a BBC radio interview (28 mins):http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b080t882

His views are summarised in this report:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/counter-extremism-bill-dangerous-terrorism-miles-away-legislation-isis-watchdog-counter-extremism-a7502431.html

At one point inthe BBC radio programme 'Prevent' is discussed by it's originator, Sir David Omand, who now expresses doubts; that it has gone too far (9.40-14.40).

Sir David Omand, an ex-GCHQ Director and other security roles, discussed on BBC radio the IPA with David Anderson and they gave the clearest explanation for bulk data collection I have heard ever (IPA covers not just phone and email links). Bulk data has been much criticised - in part aided by the Snowden allegations - and recently deemed illegal for many years by a specialist court in late 2016:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083r1jn

AdamG

01-06-2017, 09:43 PM

David,

The BBC over here had a bit on one of your civilian programs last week, pushing the 'run/hide/report' immediate action drills.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/citizenaid-advice-supports-run-hide-tell

Excellent site, in general.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-counter-terrorism-security-office

davidbfpo

01-06-2017, 10:23 PM

AdamG,

Some of the 'Plan' & 'Prepare' aspects of the UK's CT strategy are very good, but for obvious reasons are very London-centric or the big cities.

'Run/Hide/Report' advice is somewhat marred by the public practice of taking out their cell / mobile hones and filming the scene in front of them. At one recent incident the first emergency call was twelve minutes after the incident and the first film footage was uploaded in two minutes. Leaving aside the capacity to accept calls from the public (a common issue internationally).

davidbfpo

02-17-2017, 09:28 PM

Prompted by the retirement soon of David Anderson, a commercial barrister (lawyer), who was appointed as the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation in 2011, Peter Oborne has written a comprehensive review of terrorism as if effects the UK primarily.

He ends with:
Nevertheless, for six years, David Anderson has been a voice of sanity and a force for good. He has brought intellectual clarity, moral courage, a sense of perspective and, perhaps above all, earned the trust of all sides.Link:http://www.middleeasteye.net/essays/david-anderson-and-definition-terrorism-608161931

davidbfpo

03-01-2017, 09:29 PM

A short parting speech (32 mins), which is worth listening to - in part as the historical setting is given:
Counter-terrorism as a field continues to present fundamental challenges not only to the rule of law and human rights, but also to systems of political accountability. In his lecture, David Anderson reflected on the development of UK counter-terrorism legislation from 2011 to 2017. He discussed the meaning of national security and consider the best structures for countering terrorism threats in a changing world.Link:https://rusi.org/event/terrorism-and-national-security-0

Then we have a retired senior CT police officer:
A former counter-terrorism chief has revealed that he lies awake worrying about a mass casualty attack in London, as he issued a new warning about the threat posed by radicalisation in prisons.Richard Walton, who led the Met’s anti-terror command until his retirement last year, said the danger of a marauding firearms attack in the capital was a “constant anxiety”’ to police and the intelligence services.
He also expressed concern about the potential ability of the large number of extremists in prison to radicalise vulnerable inmates and use their new criminal contacts to obtain guns.....are made in a BBC “drama-documentary” to be broadcast tomorrow. It depicts a fictional Islamic State-inspired plot, involving a drugs offender radicalised in prison by extremists, to carry out a firearms attack in the capital and shows the police attempts to foil the outrage.Such an attack has been raised as a possibility since at least Mumbai in 2008, often by those who had just retired. For reasons yet to be fully explained radicalization activity in prisons is not a success story.
Link:http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/exmet-counterterror-chief-reveals-fears-over-mass-casualty-gun-attack-in-london-a3478831.html

(http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/exmet-counterterror-chief-reveals-fears-over-mass-casualty-gun-attack-in-london-a3478831.html)

davidbfpo

03-06-2017, 05:28 PM

Professor Paul Rogers has a commentary on UK CT; the summary states:
The recent statement from the UK’s new Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation that the terrorist threat to the country is at its highest level since the 1970s raises at least three crucial questions that this briefing seeks to answer. Why is the apparent threat so high, and apparently rising, after 15 years of high-intensity ‘war’ against international terrorist groups? Why is the specific threat from Islamic State (IS) so substantial at present? Finally, and most overlooked, why is there such a disconnect between the intense war in Iraq and Syria and the perception of threat in the UK? As the Trump administration prepares a new, escalated strategy against IS, these questions matter more than ever for Trump’s closest allies.Link:http://oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/paul_rogers_monthly_briefing/uk_and_terror_threat

Personally I suspect the public here will accept the approach taken at home and overseas - provided there is very limited "blow back". Killings on the scale seen in Belgium and France could easily end that acceptance, especially if those involved are returned "foreign fighters".

davidbfpo

03-16-2017, 10:27 PM

This weighty volume (1k pgs) and at a hefty price by the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based "think tank" with a "neo-con" character, was published last week.http://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Capture-530-300-1.png

There are links to a four page infographic and summary:http://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Islamist-Terrorism-Infographic.pdf

A 22 pg summary:http://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Islamist-Terrorism-key-findings-and-analysis.pdf

davidbfpo

03-16-2017, 10:51 PM

Ten days ago UK CT's most senior police officer started a new campaign to explain and obtain greater public support. In doing so he revealed some new figures:
....there were 500 live counter-terror investigations at any time. Information from the public has helped police in a third of the most high-risk investigations, figures show.It has also contributed to stopping some of the 13 attacks - a figure one higher than the last update, given in October.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39176110

BBC News database 'Who are Britain’s jihadists?'. Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32026985

A commentary:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39183003

There are two podcasts: Hostile Reconnaissance (23 mins) and Multiple Bombings (18 mins):
They tell previously untold stories of how terrorist attacks on UK soil were prevented thanks to information from the public.Link to the campaign:https://act.campaign.gov.uk/

There is a fuller post on the public contribution in another thread:What & Who discovers terrorist plots? (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/What & Who discovers terrorist plots?)

davidbfpo

03-23-2017, 08:54 AM

Yesterday's attack by one man, yet to be id'd, using a SUV and an edged weapon to kill four people - including one unarmed police officer - dominates the news here. Seven arrests have followed, including one of more in Birmingham (nearby to me) and UK CT will be very busy.

One commentary starts with a sub-title:
After a run of 12 foiled terrorist plots, luck ran out at Westminster for the UK’s intelligence agencies. Now they must ask if they could have stopped itThen it ends citing the previous Security Service (MI5) Director's interview in November 2016:
The reality is that because of the investment in services like mine, the UK has got good defences. My expectation is that we will find and stop most attempts at terrorism in this country.Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/22/lone-attackers-are-the-biggest-challenge-for-security-services

Just whether "life will remain normal" in Westminster depends on the public's reaction, whatever the politicians say. The TV is reporting here yet more concrete blocks are arriving; once in place such defences rarely removed.

Yesterday was the anniversary of the Brussels attack, a point lost here in the media reporting - although one image of the memorial service was shown.

davidbfpo

03-23-2017, 12:48 PM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7l_MOkVAAIrjb_.jpg
This message from one of B'ham largest mosques came via Twitter. I expect others have issued similar statements.

davidbfpo

03-23-2017, 01:25 PM

Posted a year ago via CTC:https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-islamic-state-threat-to-britain-evidence-from-recent-terror-trials

Via Twitter.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7mlB-SVYAA-YqL.jpg

davidbfpo

03-26-2017, 09:54 AM

There is ample coverage and reflection in today's media on what happened in an eighty-two second attack.

As well as Britons, the pedestrians skittled by his car included four South Koreans, three French children, two Romanians, two Greeks and one each from Germany, Poland, Ireland, Italy, China and America.Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/82-seconds-started-whatsapp-message/

The Met Police have stated:
..we will never understand why he did this....We still believe that Masood acted alone on the day and there is no information or intelligence to suggest there are further attacks planned.Even if he acted alone in the preparation, we need to establish with absolute clarity why he did these unspeakable acts to bring reassurance to Londoners, and to provide answers and closure for the families of those killed and the victims and survivors of this atrocity. We must all accept that there is a possibility we will never understand why he did this. That understanding may have died with him.
Nevertheless, we are determined to understand if Masood was a lone actor inspired by terrorist propaganda or if others have encouraged, supported or directed him.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39396101

Who was the attacker? This is one of the profiles read. Yes there is a Birmingham connection, even though he lived there for a very short time, a few months, with his wife and children. Was he radicalised in jail or when teaching in Saudi Arabia?
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/23/violent-extremist-dropped-polices-radar/

The hero who stopped the 2011 riots in Birmingham, Tariq Jahan added:
It’s funny how when a Muslim commits an atrocity, we’re all tarred with the same brush....the whole of Birmingham has been tarnished. Which is not true.
I don’t think Birmingham necessarily has a problem, we just have a big population, and a big Muslim population. If there are going to be Islamic extremists they are just going to crop up in places like this.Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/25/hero-of-2011-riots-defends-birmingham

Nearly all those arrested in the follow-on police action have been released; the local senior CT officer for Birmingham stated the six arrested:
As a result of their co-operation and our enquiries we are completely satisfied that they are not connected in any way to the terrorist attack in Westminster on Wednesday.Link:http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/six-arrested-birmingham-terror-raids-12796021

The last known photo of PC Palmer, with a US tourist:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2017/03/26/TELEMMGLPICT000124174475-large_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqEDjTm7JpzhSGR1_8ApEWQA1vLv hkMtVb21dMmpQBfEs.jpeg

davidbfpo

03-30-2017, 08:22 PM

An academic commentary that points out:
We still don’t know why Masood drove a rental car along the pavement on Westminster Bridge in London, killing four people and injuring many more, before stabbing police officer Keith Palmer to death. Senior counter-terrorism police officer Neil Basu (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39396101), has said: “We must all accept that there is a possibility we will never understand why he did this.”
Link:https://theconversation.com/what-if-the-london-attack-wasnt-an-act-of-terrorism-75232

Today's BBC News pointer to assorted themes:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39446816

davidbfpo

04-08-2017, 09:00 PM

After the Westminster attack the new Home Secretary called for access to encrypted applications, notably What's App, as the suspect had sent a message or more immediately before the attack. A quite odd call given the legal powers the agencies now have and that the attacker's intention had not bene known, so how would access help?

David Wells, a SME on CT & Sigint, has a commentary and I cite on passage:
What this all means is that while the UK is equipped to monitor the known knowns (even though this remains very difficult), triaging new leads is a separate issue in the context of encryption. That of course doesn’t mean that ‘backdoors’ into encrypted services are the answer. But we need to be clear on the nature of the different problems facing intelligence agencies. And most importantly, have a grown-up conversation about new terrorism realities. Must we always apportion blame beyond the attacker?
Link:https://counterterrorismmatters.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/whats-app-encryption-and-intelligence-agency-access-quick-comment/#more-1092

davidbfpo

04-16-2017, 06:20 PM

The lack of a known motivation for Khalid Masood's attack may now be challenged.

First and controversially 'The Times' reported that his name and mobile phone number was affixed to leaflets @ Luton Islamic Centre; where Masood had lived five years before. See:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/khalid-masood-served-as-link-man-for-radical-mosque-westminster-parliament-terror-attack-xkxvn8plh?shareToken=95640dd0f13e3a94f1cc8e7dd190a 2fc

The Centre denied being involved and cited their public record in opposing extremism, including releasing to BBC TV a clip from Friday prayers after the attack and they have made a complaint about the story. See:http://lutonislamiccentre.com/press-release/

Today 'The Daily Mail' had a remarkably detailed story that Masood a week before the attack contacted a family relative saying:
You will soon hear of my death, but don’t worry, be happy, because I will be in a better place, I will be in paradise. I want you to be happy for me, I don’t want you to be sad. ‘I want it to be our secret.

It adds at the end:
So far, no letter, note or martyrdom video from Masood has emerged in which he explained his actions.
Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4415218/Khalid-Masood-s-chilling-farewell-call-family.html

davidbfpo

04-28-2017, 08:14 PM

Somehow the police and friends have accessed the WhatsApp message and:
In the message, sent just minutes before he began the rampage in which five people died and 50 were injured, the 52-year-old Muslim convert had declared that he was waging jihad in revenge against Western military action in Muslim countries in the Middle East.Plus he had doing a recce four days beforehand.
Link:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/last-message-left-by-westminster-attacker-khalid-masood-uncovered-by-security-agencies-a7706561.html

davidbfpo

05-15-2017, 09:25 AM

Last week William Matchett, a thirty year veteran of the RUC / PSNI Special Branch spoke at a book launch @ Policy Exchange, London and in summary his argument is:
Secret Victory shows what a successful rule of law approach looks like in an irregular war.There is a 35 mins podcast (yet to listen to):https://policyexchange.org.uk/event/secret-victory-the-intelligence-war-that-beat-the-ira-with-dr-william-matchett/

The book 'Secret Victory: The Intelligence War that beat the IRA' was released in November 2016, in Ireland and has a plethora of five star reviews. Citing in part one review by Professor Michael Rainsborough, Head of War Studies, King’s College London:
The author trenchantly, and effectively deconstructs the dirty war thesis, illustrating that much of the narrative is partial, factually flawed or often simply incoherent and contradictory. The systematic critique of this popular orthodoxy through evidence and argumentation, along with the more detailed illumination of the Special Branch’s evolution as a vital arm in the security effort, constitutes a highly original contribution to knowledge and understanding of the Northern Ireland conflict.Link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Victory-Intelligence-that-beat/dp/1527202054/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494839181&sr=1-1&keywords=william+matchett+secret+victory

Link to USA Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Victory-Intelligence-that-beat/dp/1527202054/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494839982&sr=1-1&keywords=william+matchett+secret+victory

OUTLAW 09

05-23-2017, 07:21 AM

There's a lot of fake news and disinformation online about the Manchester explosion. We're keeping track of it here.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/manchester-arena-fake-news#

AdamG

05-23-2017, 09:38 AM

Children were among 22 people killed in a suicide attack after an Ariana Grande concert at Britain's Manchester Arena, police said early Tuesday.
The bomber also died when he detonated an improvised explosive device at about 10:33 p.m. local time (5:33 p.m. ET) on Monday, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins told reporters.
Authorities said 59 other people were injured.
The incident sparked a nightlong search for loved ones as frantic parents tried to locate their children, and groups of friends scattered by the explosion sought each another.
Video shot inside the 21,000-capacity venue showed teenagers screaming as they made their way out amid a sea of pink balloons. Some fans were still wearing the star's trademark kitten ears as they fled.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/amp/deaths-injuries-confirmed-after-explosions-heard-u-k-concert-featuring-n763286

davidbfpo

05-23-2017, 10:03 AM

Created for updates on this suicide bomber's attack @ Manchester Arena, at the end of a pop concert by an American Singer and as yet no claims of responsibility. Link to BBC News "rolling" update:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40010124

Two earlier relevant posts will be moved here, so this will slip to being the third post.

davidbfpo

05-23-2017, 01:32 PM

A useful summary from the BBC's Home Correspondent that starts with:
The UK has not seen a bomb attack like the Manchester outrage (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40010124) since 2005 for three simple reasons:

It takes some expertise, which is difficult to come by without help.
It requires a lot of planning and preparation, both of which increase the chances that MI5 and other agencies will discover what is going on.
Individuals who are sufficiently organised to put the first two together and determined enough to see the plan through to its awful conclusion are very rare.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40012208
Sadly it also notes yesterday was the fourth anniversary of Drummer Lee Rigby's murder.
https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/71850000/jpg/_71850252_018098306-1.jpg

davidbfpo

05-23-2017, 09:32 PM

Oh dear, with my emphasis:
The UK terror threat level has been raised to the highest level of "critical", meaning further attacks may be imminent, Theresa May has said.The move came after investigators were unable to rule out Manchester bombing suspect Salman Abedi acted alone, the prime minister said.
Military personnel would now be deployed to protect key sites. (Operation Temperer being the operational name).
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40023488

The suspect has been id'd as a UK national, of Libyan heritage, from Manchester; possibly radicalised and who had left university after two years. See:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/23/salman-abedi-named-manchester-suicide-bomber-know/

Earlier today there signs of annoyance, being polite, in London over information being provided to our "cousins" and within a short time it being provided to the US media (NBC), hours before the UK media were informed. Not that has not happened before.

Bill Moore

05-24-2017, 05:21 AM

Oh dear, with my emphasis:Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40023488

The suspect has been id'd as a UK national, of Libyan heritage, from Manchester; possibly radicalised and who had left university after two years. See:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/23/salman-abedi-named-manchester-suicide-bomber-know/

Earlier today there signs of annoyance, being polite, in London over information being provided to our "cousins" and within a short time it being provided to the US media (NBC), hours before the UK media were informed. Not that has not happened before.

David, you should know if you want information leaked just give it to the Americans. The head of the French Secret Service said the same thing in his book titled the 4th World War. He would ask close Americans if he could share something with them, but he needed a guarantee it wouldn't be leaked. His U.S. friends couldn't make that promise, so the French took care of the issue repeatedly in the shadows without knowledge of the U.S. Our politicians leak intelligence to undermine one another, and now our intelligence agencies are leaking information to undermine U.S. political figures they don't like. Until there is accountability it will simply get worse.

Back on topic, you certainly have our condolences for your country's recent losses do to this senseless event.

OUTLAW 09

05-25-2017, 10:59 AM

From UK today....

UK decision to stop intelligence sharing with US on #manchesterattack is limited to "law enforcement to law enforcement"- police with FBI.

BUT WAIT the same exact information is sent as well to US Homeland Security on info concerning terrorist attacks aboard....leak could have come from Homeland as well.....

Intel sharing with NSA and CIA continues though....

REMEMBER Trump WH has been incessantly bashing the FBI for constant "leaking" and this would give them ample opportunity to clamp down on FBI and distract from Russian investigations

Sun Tzu explained the vital importance of attacking your enemy's alliances with his partners 2,500 years ago.

NOTE..there are a few inside UK that now are questioning....did the leak come for UK sources concerned that the public was not being told the seriousness of the bomb attack....and potential ties to France and Brussels and the fact that the bomber had been reported to police a total of 10 times....leak is distracting from this...

OUTLAW 09

05-25-2017, 12:45 PM

Newsweek‏
@Newsweek

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of Infowars called the victims of the horrible Manchester attack "liberal trendies"
http://bit.ly/2rRpCS5

Alex Jones is a proTrump alt rightist ie white nationalist and Trump often follows his comments on Infowars.....

During his divorce trial in Houston TX several weeks ago he described himself as a "performance artist" not a journalist......

BTW during Brexit he was a massive supporter of UKIP and Farage.....

davidbfpo

05-25-2017, 12:55 PM

From a UK political blog site, so the links are cited:
Here’s a rundown of the leaks so far:

Casualty figures and attack method. Leaked to NBC and CBS.
Salman Abedi’s name. Reported on US breakfast television at least six hours before British authorities released it.
Abedi’s brother arrested. Leaked to Politico.
Device spec: secret British analysis of the “sophisticated” device. Leaked to NBC.
Bomber ID process: via a bank card found on his body. Leaked to NBC.
Al Qaeda link. Leaked to NBC.
Crime scene pics bag / device. Leaked to New York Times.
Bombmaking workshop in Abedi’s home. Leaked to ABC News.

The FT reports (https://www.ft.com/content/4967d436-40b6-11e7-9d56-25f963e998b2) today that bomb site analysis is shared between a select group of allies via an encrypted portal. It is never intended to appear in public…
Link:https://order-order.com/2017/05/25/8-us-intelligence-leaks-that-infuriated-british-government/

PS don't bother with the comments that follow.

The bomb analysis is shared via the Bomb Data Centre network, which includes many non-NATO members and IIRC the PRC and Russia.

davidbfpo

05-25-2017, 03:30 PM

Three of the better commentaries today; being a very topical subject their content is wide at times.

On information sharing, which starts:
It’s not the first time sensitive information about an ongoing British counter-terrorism investigation has leaked out in US media but, make no mistake, the decision to stop sharing information about the Manchester attack with America is unprecedented. In July 2005, I was the Head of News at Scotland Yard and strategic communications lead for all blue light services in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings.
Link:http://crestadvisory.com/its-good-to-share/

How many times did those around the bomber tell the authorities? Which starts with:
he was repeatedly flagged to the authorities over his extremist views, but was not stopped by officers, it emerged Wednesday night.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/24/security-services-missed-five-opportunities-stop-manchester/? (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/24/security-services-missed-five-opportunities-stop-manchester/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

Finally the always sane Richard Barrett, ex-MI6 & UN, takes a wider view and asks is our strategy really working; from near the end:
Preventing future attacks will be as complex as preventing past ones. It gets no easier. But one thing is for sure. The answer is not more bombs and bullets. We have been trying that for almost 16 years with little or no improvement to show. In fact, it is indisputable that the terrorist threat is now more serious than it was before the 9/11 attacks.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/23/have-worlds-best-security-services-manchester-attack-inevitable/

OUTLAW 09

05-25-2017, 03:37 PM

From a UK political blog site, so the links are cited:
Link:https://order-order.com/2017/05/25/8-us-intelligence-leaks-that-infuriated-british-government/

PS don't bother with the comments that follow.

The bomb analysis is shared via the Bomb Data Centre network, which includes many non-NATO members and IIRC the PRC and Russia.

What is interesting about this particular attack...the UK slams down an info wall and yet on the Berlin truck attack killing just ten less and having the same number of injuried the German authorities were open and forthcoming with all information...or in the Paris attacks all information was flowing as fast as the authorities would actually allow it.

What I think is happening is that it is now forcing the current government to start acknowledging a few facts that are now coming out via social media.....

1. French and German intel had passed on solid information concerning the bomber up to four days before the attacks
2. bomber was on a fly watch list and Turkey correctly and speedily informed UK about his flights out of Trukey before the bombing
3. bomber flies a IS flag in the back of his house
4. bombers family repeatedly warned the police
5. all indications of virtually no security in place when he simply walked into the building when the performance was over....

Just as in the German truck attack red flags were flying literally everywhere but no one connected the dots......

One of the lessons learned in the Canne, Paris and Berlin attacks...you leave all security in major events firmly in place until the last person is out of the event..that did not happen in Manchester....and every bag and bulky clothing is searched....a bomb vest is not a easy thing to look slim in....

I highly suspect that the leaks are coming from UK sources fed up with the tightness and lack of info going to the public ..........

One thing French, German and Brussels authorities have learned..open up all channels of communications to the public and ask for as much help as they can provide...videos...photos...tweets..observations etc....

The failures around the German truck attacker are even played out in public and thus the public has no feeling that the government is not trying to coverup mistakes and is in fact learning from their own mistakes....something the UK is not doing right now....

Example..German investigators had learned about the trucker attacker being involved in drug sales as a finance mechanism....they raided six locations inside Berlin yesterday rolling up 10 major drug dealers and 6 of them were high value jihadist targets....

Ever since that Dec attack German authorities have been raiding and raiding and raiding and arresting along the way....after the London car attack yes you saw some activity but not to the levels seen in Brussels, Paris and Berlin....

What is not leaked and has not been leaked is how did the UK know within virtually the first hour or so of chaos exactly who the bomber was??

BTW...one leaked article about the making of the bomb ...highly professional was the undertone..is now being countered that the bomber made it himself and BTW no professional bomb maker kills himself......

So in fact some leaks were not all that accurate.....

davidbfpo

05-25-2017, 03:55 PM

Citing one line by Outlaw09:
all indications of virtually no security in place when he simply walked into the building when the performance was over....From my media watching that is simply wrong. The bomb went off in a public area, the venue's foyer is adjacent to and open to a train station concourse. He did not access the concert venue itself. The bomb detonated as the early concert leavers entered the public area, but the singer gave one more final son so most people stayed inside.

Added next day, the NYT report has photos and a diagram of he location.

Link:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/24/world/europe/manchester-arena-bomb-materials-photos.html? (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/24/world/europe/manchester-arena-bomb-materials-photos.html?emc=edit_mbe_20170526&nl=morning-briefing-europe&nlid=67232673&te=1&_r=0)

That is why the British Transport Police, who cover the railway network, had initial primacy as it was in their jurisdiction. The BTP always have a uniform presence at such a station.

On the move more maybe later.

OUTLAW 09

05-25-2017, 04:06 PM

Citing one line by Outlaw09:

From my media watching that is simply wrong. The bomb went off in a public area, the venue's foyer is adjacent to and open to a train station concourse. He did not access the concert venue itself. The bomb detonated as the early concert leavers entered the public area, but the singer gave one more final son so most people stayed inside.

That is why the British Transport Police, who cover the railway network, had initial primacy as it was in their jurisdiction. The BTP always have a uniform presence at such a station.

On the move more maybe later.

Recheck all available video footage...all large metal gates were open into this entrance area and there is a not a single security person standing around and or next to them...and no search tables were present...

Secondly, the bomb blast flash was in fact in an enclosed area floor area as the flash literally lit up the entire roof area thus he was already in the public area just in front of the arena area......AFTER passing through the open metal security gates outside....had the event gone on longer he would have been inside the arena itself..question is why did he not wait....and was the bomb RC detonated....actually the numbers killed and or wounded are relatively small when looking as the actual blast flash.....when you think that 12 were killed and over 62 wounded in a simple truck crash here in Berlin....that covered a distance of 30 meters....

In all stadiums here for example all security systems remain in place even if they are further away from the actual event and police and or armed private security remain there as well....and metal detectors are in fashion now

OUTLAW 09

05-25-2017, 04:18 PM

BTW...highly suspect that Trump will use these leaks to deflect from his Russian investigations....

flagg

05-25-2017, 08:57 PM

Citing one line by Outlaw09:

From my media watching that is simply wrong. The bomb went off in a public area, the venue's foyer is adjacent to and open to a train station concourse. He did not access the concert venue itself. The bomb detonated as the early concert leavers entered the public area, but the singer gave one more final son so most people stayed inside.

That is why the British Transport Police, who cover the railway network, had initial primacy as it was in their jurisdiction. The BTP always have a uniform presence at such a station.

On the move more maybe later.

I am no SME by any means, but I am making an initial assumption that large events now possess at least minimal/reasonable levels of superficial security, and that attackers such as these may simply adapt slightly and look for offset non-secure choke points where people briefly mass.

When I think of the leaked technology/techniques used by UK Forces checkpoints in Northern Ireland in the 1970's/80's for intelligence analysis of IRA activity, I'm hopeful the heavy concentration of CCTV in U.K. mixed with Moore's Law will provide additional tools for LE leading up to an attack.

I would imagine CCTV footage of every single known suicide bomber and support team getting crunched for big data analysis for human behaviour pattern recognition might provide some potential early warning, like a pre-crime version of gunshot locators. Same goes for International Entry Customs CCTV.

I'm guessing an AI data scientist/human behaviour psychologist could fill in their own paycheque right about now.

OUTLAW 09

05-27-2017, 11:47 AM

What is interesting about this particular attack...the UK slams down an info wall and yet on the Berlin truck attack killing just ten less and having the same number of injured the German authorities were open and forthcoming with all information...or in the Paris attacks all information was flowing as fast as the authorities would actually allow it.

What I think is happening is that it is now forcing the current government to start acknowledging a few facts that are now coming out via social media.....

1. French and German intel had passed on solid information concerning the bomber up to four days before the attacks
2. bomber was on a fly watch list and Turkey correctly and speedily informed UK about his flights out of Trukey before the bombing
3. bomber flies a IS flag in the back of his house
4. bombers family repeatedly warned the police
5. all indications of virtually no security in place when he simply walked into the building when the performance was over....

Just as in the German truck attack red flags were flying literally everywhere but no one connected the dots......

One of the lessons learned in the Cannes, Paris and Berlin attacks...you leave all security in major events firmly in place until the last person is out of the event..that did not happen in Manchester....and every bag and bulky clothing is searched....a bomb vest is not a easy thing to look slim in....

I highly suspect that the leaks are coming from UK sources fed up with the tightness and lack of info going to the public ..........

One thing French, German and Brussels authorities have learned..open up all channels of communications to the public and ask for as much help as they can provide...videos...photos...tweets..observations etc....

The failures around the German truck attacker are even played out in public and thus the public has no feeling that the government is not trying to coverup mistakes and is in fact learning from their own mistakes....something the UK is not doing right now....

Example..German investigators had learned about the trucker attacker being involved in drug sales as a finance mechanism....they raided six locations inside Berlin yesterday rolling up 10 major drug dealers and 6 of them were high value jihadist targets....

Ever since that Dec attack German authorities have been raiding and raiding and raiding and arresting along the way....after the London car attack yes you saw some activity but not to the levels seen in Brussels, Paris and Berlin....

What is not leaked and has not been leaked is how did the UK know within virtually the first hour or so of chaos exactly who the bomber was??

BTW...one leaked article about the making of the bomb ...highly professional was the undertone..is now being countered that the bomber made it himself and BTW no professional bomb maker kills himself......

So in fact some leaks were not all that accurate.....

Very interesting article on German counter-terrorism system and jihadists....

Excellent, detailed work by @janraudszus ~> The Jihadist terrorist threat and German Counter-terrorism http://www.capesic.cat/en/2017/05/25/the-jihadist-terrorist-threat-and-german-counter-terrorism/#

Germany has long maintained that to fight any terrorist problem it is strictly an intel service and police fight.....and long term.....AND I seriously doubt there is any western nation state that has been hit with terror attacks that openly debates the failures by police and security services as does Germany...

In some ways this quite public debate allows the public to understand that the police and security services are admitting if they failed and are learning from their mistakes and allows for the public to feel that their security concerns are being taken seriously....

davidbfpo

05-31-2017, 12:30 PM

Nine days after the attack there has been a shift in the official police stance, as indicated in a BBC report which starts with:
Manchester suicide attacker Salman Abedi bought most of the components used to make the bomb himself, police have said.Many of the bomber's movements and actions were "carried out alone" in the four days prior to the attack, Russ Jackson, head of the North West counter terrorism unit, said.
But police have yet to rule out whether he was part of a wider network.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40103563

There remain eleven men in custody, five have been released and the law allows them to be kept in pre-charge custody for up to fourteen days (with reviews at a magistrates court).

Elsewhere some have speculated the IED was not a sophisticated device.

davidbfpo

05-31-2017, 12:41 PM

The author of this article is the former head of UK police CT; his actual title is 'The Importance of Bilateral Collaboration in International Counter-Terrorism Investigations' and is carefully worded.
Link:https://policyexchange.org.uk/the-importance-of-bi-lateral-collaboration-in-international-counter-terrorism-investigations/

Two passages:
Judging by the speed of the response in Libya to the Manchester attack last week, the UK has demonstrated that it still has the capability, capacity and global reach to be effective in international counter terrorist investigations.
The UK’s international CT network has played a key role in this and will continue to be a vital part of its ongoing defenses against terrorism. Cooperation with European states is very much part of that – but that will not be affected by Brexit.Contrary to some authors elsewhere the UK's CT police network and more is not part of the "Five Eyes" arrangement, from what is known in the public domain.

davidbfpo

06-07-2017, 10:56 AM

Rather unusually I have not added reports and commentaries on the terrorist attack @ London Bridge, on Saturday evening; in part as I was off the web. Secondly CT policy and practice has become a very public issue in the General Election, with the opposition rightly in my opinion being critical of Prime Minister May for her role as Home Secretary (2010-2016) and as Prime Minister.

Then the "fog of war" has cleared remarkably quickly, not this time aided by "leaks" to the US media, with allegations and partial admissions that "something" was wrong on how one murderer was investigated - if not the other two. Sadly another body has just been found in the River Thames, of a missing French national and others remain missing (a Spaniard & an Australian).

One report on the public's role (albeit three days ago):https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/05/questions-raised-about-police-knowledge-of-london-bridge-attackers .

Another which refers to Manchester, eight days old:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/28/mi5-launches-inquiries-into-failings-on-manchester-arena-bomber-salman-abedi-moss-side-raids-amber-rudd? (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/28/mi5-launches-inquiries-into-failings-on-manchester-arena-bomber-salman-abedi-moss-side-raids-amber-rudd?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other)

davidbfpo

06-08-2017, 11:27 AM

Footage - 37 seconds - has today emerged of how the London Bridge attackers were shot dead:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/07/london-bridge-attack-cctv-shows-fatal-clash-between-police-and-terrorists

There are some remarks alongside, such as:
No more than 20 seconds elapse from the officers leaving their ARV to the attackers lying still on the floor.A couple of days ago now a backgrounder on the UK police's armed response policy and practice:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/04/police-praised-for-stopping-london-bridge-attack-in-eight-minutes

The BBC News has a "one stop" collection of reports:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40150689 There is an excellent commentary on the radicalisation factor from ICSR:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40161333

davidbfpo

06-13-2017, 10:06 AM

A local newspaper report, based on a Greater Manchester Police press release, clears some of the "smoke" and initial reporting that the attack was a sophisticated operation by many people. For example:
The 22 people arrested in relation to suspected terrorism offences have been released without charge - two of them shortly after arrest.
The remaining 20 were interviewed ‘many times’.....“Some of those arrested and now released have offered accounts which explain innocent contact with Abedi and we are, at this time, satisfied with these explanations. However, this has taken a considerable amount of time to work through to ensure we are satisfied and that the risk to the public has been considered."
Link:http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/those-arrested-manchester-arena-attack-13170282

Or a podcast by NW CTU's head (regional CT unit):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yH4Buc45KU

A rather odd story IMHO from Tripoli, Libya by the BBC:
The bomb attack in Manchester last month which killed 22 people was being planned since December, security officials in Libya have told the BBC.Salman Abedi was being watched in Libya more than a month before the attack.Officials in Tripoli have complained about poor security co-operation with the UK, which they say must be improved to prevent further attacks.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40254594

This does rather sound like "spin" after the event.

davidbfpo

06-15-2017, 01:14 PM

The UK has a variety of problems with its prison system, amongst them is how it copes with increasing numbers of prisoners who are Muslim or have been converted and the threat from radicalization - which ends in Islamism.

Ian Acheson was asked to conduct a review in 2015; the linked article summarizes his experience and he is very critical:https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/04/why-islamist-extremism-has-such-a-hold-in-our-prisons/

The actual report is not in the public domain, but there is this official summary:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/islamist-extremism-in-prisons-probation-and-youth-justice/summary-of-the-main-findings-of-the-review-of-islamist-extremism-in-prisons-probation-and-youth-justice

There are a growing number of convicted Islamist terrorists in UK prisons (mainly in England), not all of them are held in 'high security' prisons.

Just how this issue has been effectively ignored, so becoming a real threat inside prison, let alone when prisoners "return to the community" undermines the UK's strategy.

davidbfpo

06-19-2017, 08:55 PM

Two weeks ago, on the 5th June 2017, Professor Bruce Hoffman wrote this two page article 'Can Britain Stop Terrorists While Defending Civil Liberties?' and it is worth a read.
Link:http://nationalinterest.org/feature/can-britain-stop-terrorists-while-defending-civil-liberties-21012?

His views are undoubtedly influenced by the Westminster Bridge attack (March 22nd: using a van & knives), the Manchester Arena bombing (May 22nd) and the London Bridge attack (using a van & knives).

Now we have seen the Finsbury Park attack (North London) by a white man in a van who sought to kill Muslims and killed one.

A couple of key points:
ISIS has thus proven remarkably adept at harnessing the full potential of contemporary communications to motivate, inspire and ultimately animate its minions to action.

(As) a Wall Street Journal editorial warned today (https://www.wsj.com/articles/jihad-returns-to-britain-1496601812?mod=e2tw), “Do more to contain this internal Islamist insurgency now, or risk a political backlash that will result in even more draconian limits on civil liberties.”

Until recently the official figure for aspiring, suspected who posed a threat was three thousand (a remarkably stable figure for years) and now there twenty thousand others who are of "interest".

For those who wish to delve deeper into how many expressed support for terrorism in opinion polling, in 2015, there are two opinion polls. One for a C4 documentary:http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/c4-survey-and-documentary-reveals-what-british-muslims-really-think

The second, with a bigger sample, was by Policy Exchange. Note it found more non-Muslims supported violence than Muslims:https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/PEXJ5037_Muslim_Communities_FINAL.pdf

It is too early to comment on the Finsbury Park attacker, whose identity remains private and a criminal trial restrains the UK media. Was the van driver a "loner".

It is puzzling to me that the "call to arms" from ISIS resonates far more effectively than the repeated calls to action by AQ. A Londoner friend familiar with the North London scene a few years ago argues that the big change is that low-level criminals are drifting into terrorism.

As ISIS appears to be defeated in terms of territory and governance, with very few going to few going there now; are those left behind the frustrated "wannabe" fighters?

What has recently happened has exposed far more than scale and resources. What do we as a nation, let alone the CT agencies and police, do with those who may pose a threat, but there is either no evidence or a lack of intelligence that would justify targeting and investigation?

The standard Home Office approach of tackling encryption etc has no relevance IMHO to what we face today from the angry becoming a threat rapidly.

Resilience is familiar to US LE, but I do ask is policing in London and several other English cities going to become 'security' dominated, whether from guarding or active investigations?

davidbfpo

06-20-2017, 01:52 PM

One article (not two as per title) worthy of a pointer. 'Rise of Low-End Urban Terrorism' is from Singapore and is a clear explanation of what is the emerging threat - not just in the UK, so it may be copied to another thread on ISIS.

Two passages:
By resorting to low-end terrorist tactics, IS has raised the cost of counterterrorism in Western cities and further lowered the security threshold. These attacks are random and unpredictable because of their low entry barrier (http://www.rand.org/blog/2017/06/london-bridge-attack-the-latest-example-of-pure-terror.html). No expertise in bomb-making or formal militant training is needed. Preventing such attacks is almost impossible because the terrorists engaging in low-tech terrorism can attack anything anywhere and at any time (http://www.rand.org/blog/2017/06/london-bridge-attack-the-latest-example-of-pure-terror.html). By doing this, IS has virtually bypassed the operational phases of the terrorist attack cycle i.e. recruitment, training, planning, target selection, logistics, and execution.

This leaves IS with only one challenge: how to radicalize disenfranchised and vulnerable Muslim youth to do its terrorist bidding. Most of this is done online now thanks to IS’ revolutionization of social media for recruitment and propaganda operations. The group’s ability to link individual grievances with its jihadist narrative by providing aspiring jihadists with a stronger sense of belonging and empowerment has helped it overcome social, geographical, and linguistic barriers (https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/89287-Why-IS-has-a-chance-here) to recruit from diverse backgrounds.Link:http://ippreview.com/index.php/Blog/single/id/481.html

Azor

06-20-2017, 05:54 PM

In the wake of the recent deadly anti-Muslim attacks in Portland and London, a number of media commentators have opined that “right-wing” terrorism is being ignored, and that it is equivalent to Islamist terrorism.

Neither assertion is true. Law enforcement in both the United States and Britain have prevented various “right-wing” plots from being carried out, and in fact “right-wing” terrorism was the priority for Anglo-American security services throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Yet what is “right-wing” terrorism? According to the statistics produced by the New America Foundation, “right-wing terrorism” is a catch-all or polite euphemism for political violence carried out by white perpetrators, including:

Fanatical Christians targeting abortion providers
Militant libertarians (e.g. “sovereigntists” or “freemen”) targeting local or national authorities
White supremacists targeting non-whites
Anti-Muslim whites targeting Muslims

In contrast to the disparate ideologies and organizations above, Islamist terrorism is very specific, and I believe that apples are being compared to oranges here in order to make the statistical disparities less obvious.

In the United Kingdom, just under 4.50% of the population is comprised of Muslims. However, from 2000 to present:

92 people have been killed by Islamist terrorists
4 people have been killed by right-wing terrorists including 2 in anti-Muslim attacks and 1 as part of the Troubles (by the UVF)

The same pattern is found in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the United States:

621 people have been killed by Islamist terrorists (excluding 9/11)
50 people have been killed by right-wing terrorists including 25 in anti-Muslim attacks

Only in Canada (Mosque shooting) and Norway (Breivik) does right-wing fatal terrorism exceed that of Islamists.

In terms of putting the Islamist terrorist threat in perspective, 0.08% of the Catholic and Protestant populations of Northern Ireland were members of their respective paramilitaries at any given time.

If 3,000 Muslims in Britain are being monitored by MI5 as jihadis (estimates range from 2,000 to 23,000), then that would make the participation rate 0.10%, or worse than the Troubles on both an absolute and relative basis, given that the Muslim population is almost double that of Northern Ireland.

davidbfpo

06-21-2017, 08:18 PM

Today the UK government has announced a review of CT strategy and part of its messaging has been a Tweet, this says:
Counter-terrorism strategy will be reviewed and a new commission will work to stamp out extremist ideology in all its formsAccompanied by this image:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DC2Zy43XoAE3UyS.jpg

There has been criticism:https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/21/home-office-evokes-orwellian-vision-of-anti-extremism-commission?

Armed policing has a very small part in the UK CT response; what happened to 'British values' and countering the arrative of our enemies - who want to portray our response like this?

davidbfpo

06-30-2017, 11:33 AM

After recent attacks several voices have suggested the use of internment (detention with trial); in part citing the volume of suspects (3-23k), the lack of resources and evidence for criminal proceedings.

This article 'Scrapping human rights is as great a threat to democracy as terrorism' reviews the history - mainly its use in Northern Ireland (1971-1975, it had been used in an earlier campaign by the Irish Republic) - and wider political implications.
Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/julian-petley/human-rights-scrapping-terrorism-democracy?

I am a pessimist that politicians will use internment, probably under a supposedly more subtle title, if there is a series of successful attacks with high casualties - to be "seen to do something" and avoid a public backlash.

davidbfpo

07-10-2017, 08:39 PM

The UK government has placed stress on the dangers posed by enemies and suspects having secure communications, even after extending the legal powers to conduct surveillance.

So when a former GCHQ Director disagrees publicly one should sit up. There is a short BBC radio interview, AM today and is summarised as:
The former head of GCHQ has said that cooperation between government agencies and private companies is the best solution "to target the people who are abusing encryption systems."
Robert Hannigan warned that "building back doors" in encryption systems was "a threat to everybody" and suggested that the government and private companies work more closely together to tackle the problem.Link to podcast (hopefully it can be viewed outside the UK):http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0588hvv

A specialist IT online journal has a longer article; other issues were covered.

Link:https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/10/former_gchq_wades_into_encryption_debate/?

davidbfpo

07-19-2017, 06:50 PM

An excellent overview of this small activist group, that has always maintained it was not violent, just that so many passed through who did turn to violence, by Raffaello Pantucci - on his publishers website:http://www.hurstpublishers.com/al-muhajiroun-simmering-divisions-british-society/

One passage:
But the reality is that they (UK CT) are addressing the same threat that has been managed for the past two decades. Incremental improvements are made in our response, some bad policies are binned, and some are steered off a path to violence, but it is not clear that we are materially eradicating the ideas and groups that are ultimately behind the violence on our streets.

davidbfpo

07-27-2017, 12:36 PM

There is an article, with graphs on a newspaper website:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/many-people-killed-terrorist-attacks-uk/

Via Twitter:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DFvKkm5XUAEOfWH.jpg

Not sure why state action is labelled 'terrorism'. The author has clarified that 259 deaths due to 'state terrorism' were those killed in the Pan-Am Flight 103, that hit Lockerbie, Scotland December 21st 1988.

davidbfpo

08-02-2017, 01:32 PM

After a four month long trial as this BBC report goes into details rarely seen in public and part of the trail was held in secret. Note two defendants were convicted AQ supporters had moved to support Daesh / ISIS. They await sentencing.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40716747

Added later, a second detailed report:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/02/three-musketeers-convicted-of-plotting-terrorist-attack

The author tweeted:
Inside the secret op that caught the "three musketeers": perhaps the most bizarre terror trial I've ever witnessed.The report starts with:
Four men have been convicted of planning a major terror attack in Birmingham after being caught in an elaborate undercover operation. The trial of Naweed Ali, Khobaib Hussain, Mohibur Rahman and Tahir Aziz at the Old Bailey has been one of the strangest - and most vigorously contested - terrorism cases of the past decade.A significant feature became public, a police & MI5 "honey trap":
Hero Couriers had been in operation for up to four years. It had all the trappings of a real courier firm - vans, a corporate logo and a supposed headquarters in Hilton Hall, a stately home converted to offices, near Wolverhampton.But it was all bogus. The firm had no customers - it did no real deliveries. It existed only in order to watch suspects.One undercover police officer spent two weeks in the witness box facing numerous allegations by the defence, as indicated in a report months ago:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/16/west-midlands-police-unit-accused-of-perjury-and-falsifying-evidence

Added. Sentenced:
Ali, Hussain and Rahman - who called themselves the Three Musketeers in group messages - were each sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison. All three refused to attend court. They have all previously served prison sentences for terrorism offences.Aziz, who joined the group days before the arrests. was sentenced to a minimum term of 15 years in prison.Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40810970

Was stand alone until merged into the main UK CT thread.

davidbfpo

08-05-2017, 08:52 PM

David Wells is a UK-based risk analyst and his background is in Anglo-Australian intelligence analysis. The link is to the transcript of an interview:http://www.bicom.org.uk/blogpost/day-isis-middle-east-islamic-state-isis-changed-terrorist-threat-uk-interview-david-wells/

He ends with a comment wider than the UK:
There have been different waves of threats over the decades that have different defining factors and the international community needs to keep up with the current wave and its next shift. There’s a danger that some governments are still dealing with the wave of 10-15 years ago, where people in the West fitted the model of ‘radicalisation due to the lack of opportunity and education’. Unfortunately, this model (which I’m simplifying here) isn’t necessarily widely applicable today.

The interview is part of a series 'The day after ISIS', by a previously unheard of group Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (http://www.bicom.org.uk)or BICOM and their explanation:
In this conversation on the future of the Middle East after the Islamic State (IS), we bring together experts to debate the prospects for reconstruction and governance in IS-held territory, the future of the Jihadi movement, how to mitigate against the return of IS fighters, and the future regional security framework. We ask the experts what policymakers need to start thinking and planning after the territorial defeat of the most dangerous terrorist group to date.
Link to the interview series, back to May 2017:http://www.bicom.org.uk/analysis/day-isis-middle-east-islamic-state/

davidbfpo

08-15-2017, 08:43 PM

Last week Jonathan Evans, ex-Mi5 Director General (ret'd in 2013) was interviewed on BBC Radio:
Over that period the threat has come and gone but the underlying threat has continued. Since 2013 there have been 19 attempted attacks that have been disrupted and even since the attack at Westminster we are told there have been six disruptions, so this is a permanent state of preparedness.We're at least 20 years into this. My guess is that we will still be dealing with the long tail in over 20 years' time. I think this is genuinely a generational problem. I think we are going to be facing 20 to 30 years of terrorist threat and therefore we need, absolutely critically, to persevere.Link to article:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40890328 and link to the interview itself:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-40897388/ex-mi5-boss-uk-faces-islamist-threat-for-decades

In the radio programme the UK's current senior CT police officer did a Q&A interview:http://news.met.police.uk/blog_posts/the-threat-of-terrorism-60655

davidbfpo

09-30-2017, 03:10 PM

A short report from The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and the summary says:
For more than 30 years, British jihadis have been fighting under the banner of an extreme Islamist ideology in conflicts from Algeria to the Philippines. For half of that time, the streets of the UK have been seen as a legitimate target. Ideologues made their home in Britain, having been rejected from Muslim-majority countries because the ideas they expounded were considered dangerous. From the UK, they influenced many. In the last five years, the conflict in Syria alone has attracted over 800 British fighters.
Their ideology justifies the use of violent jihad to achieve its aims. Its proponents believe in imposing their interpretation of Islam on others as state law, with no tolerance for alternatives. They believe in brutally punishing apostates and subjugating women. It is Muslims who make up the majority of their victims.
The global jihadi network they are a part of goes back decades. The violence it wreaks is felt all over the world. In the final months of 2016, more than 18,000 lives were lost to jihadi violence or efforts against it. In all, some 58 jihadi groups were involved in at least 2,312 violent incidents in 41 countries.
What connects these disaffected individuals from Beeston to Brighton? How has a global, violent ideology captured the minds of so many British citizens and residents? And what can be done to stop others going down this path?

Overview of the research method:
This research is based on the biographies of 113 British men, both citizens and residents, who had engaged in, supported, or abetted violent jihad. Information on each individual was gathered using open-source data. We used a wide range of online and offline sources to collect a comprehensive account of each individual’s background and journey to violent extremism. We examined socio-economic indicators, educational background, and international travel, among other factors, in order to build a picture of an individual’s life before and after their involvement with jihadism. The biographies were later coded according to recurring themes or traits across the sample. This allowed researchers to quantify the data and conduct more detailed analysis.

Link:http://institute.global/sites/default/files/inline-files/IGC_Caliph-Country_04.09.17.pdf

Perhaps one day this will be merged into the radicalization thread.

AdamG

10-12-2017, 12:29 PM

British IS recruiter Sally-Anne Jones was reportedly killed in a US drone strike in Syria, in June.
Jones, from Chatham in Kent, joined so-called Islamic State after converting to Islam and travelling to Syria in 2013.
Her death was first reported by The Sun.
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said Jones had been a useful propaganda agent for IS on social media and her death would be "significant".

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41593659

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/392/026/21b.jpg

davidbfpo

10-17-2017, 08:14 PM

In his first selected media appearance MI5's Director said there was currently "more terrorist activity coming at us, more quickly" and that it can also be "harder to detect". He added that more than 130 Britons who travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight with so-called Islamic State had died.

A couple of quotes:
They are constantly making tough professional judgements based on fragments of intelligence; pinpricks of light against a dark and shifting canvas.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41655488 and https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/17/uk-most-severe-terror-threat-ever-mi5-islamist?

davidbfpo

01-06-2018, 10:24 PM

Yet to catch up on my reading on UK CT, notably the report on the four attacks in 2017, so here is a recent article by Raffaello Pantucci, at RUSI, which was behind a paywall when published a few days ago.

The title: 'The new wave of terrorist threat comes more from the local lone wolf than international plotters'.

Here is a "taster":
This all paints a bleak picture at the start of a fresh new year and it is worth stopping a moment to recognize a more positive side. Notwithstanding this past year being a particularly grim one in terms of attacks, the UK has not faced a large-scale atrocity on the scale of the London bombings of July 7, 2005, when 56 people died. The attacks we have suffered are for the most part of a low calibre, driven by individuals of limited resources and ability.Link:https://raffaellopantucci.com/2018/01/06/the-new-wave-of-terrorist-threat-comes-more-from-the-local-lone-wolf-than-international-plotters/amp/?

In September 2017 a London BBC programme, with Raffaello as the reporter, was screened and is available (27 mins). The summary:
reveals how Isis used social media to plan and plot attacks on Westminster and London Bridge. He exposes how the terrorist group relies on encrypted messages and the dark web to coerce British Muslims to stage atrocities across the UK.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05f9y4g

I assume this podcast is available outside the UK; it is not on YouTube in its entirety.

davidbfpo

01-06-2018, 10:31 PM

A BBC report, with the official stats on arrest etc, here is one passage:
There were 400 arrests on suspicion of terrorism-related offences in the year to the end of September 2017. That's the highest recorded figure, up more than 50% on the previous year.

The author concludes:
So 2017 was a bad year for attacks, while still nowhere near the levels of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. But it definitely looks like there has been an unprecedented level of activity around tracking down people who are suspected of wishing to do harm to others.
Link:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-42420358?

davidbfpo

01-19-2018, 08:07 PM

A short report (32 pgs) by Peter Neumann (Kings College ICSR) and Rajan Basra ICRS PhD student); nothing startling IMHO, but "all in one place" and published by:www.crimeterrornexus.com (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/www.crimeterrornexus.com)
Link to report: https://crimeterrornexus.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Crime-Terror-Nexus-UK-Ireland_20180119_web.pdf

davidbfpo

01-29-2018, 09:49 PM

Seven weeks ago a public report on UK counter-terrorism revealed, within reason (national security and operational methods mainly) a great deal and some pointers to what was to be implemented next. Apologies for the delay, only today was there time to read the report and related comments.

The catalyst being in the words of the author, David Anderson, the former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation (whose role is to monitor UK counter-terrorism legislation for its fairness, effectiveness and proportionality):
The excellent recent record of MI5 and police in defending the UK from terrorist attack came to a brutal end this year at Westminster, Manchester Arena, London Bridge and Finsbury Park….After four such incidents over a short period, unsparing reflection was required.”
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/05/mi5-had-planned-discuss-manchester-bomber-suspicions-just-nine/

The attacks were: 22nd March @ Westminster Bridge, London four deaths, with thirty-two injured by a suspect (shot dead) using a van and knives; 22nd May @ Manchester Arena, twenty-two dead, with one hundred and sixteen injured by a suicide bomber; 3rd June @ London Bridge, London, eight dead and forty-five injured by three men (shot dead) with a van and knives; and 19th June @ Finsbury Park Mosque, London one dead, eleven injured by a suspect in a van (currently on trial).

They are covered in the main thread:UK Counter-Terrorism (merged thread) (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/UK Counter-Terrorism (merged thread))

The Home Secretary's official statement is cited in part:
In the case of the Westminster attack, Khalid Masood was a closed subject of interest at the time of the attack. Neither MI5 nor the police had any reason to anticipate the attack. Regarding the Manchester Arena attack, Salman Abedi was also a closed subject of interest at the time of the attack, and so not under active investigation. In early 2017, MI5 nonetheless received intelligence on him, which was assessed as not being related to terrorism. In retrospect the intelligence can be seen to be highly relevant. Had an investigation been re-opened at the time, it cannot be known whether Abedi’s plans could have been stopped: MI5 assess that it would have been unlikely.
In the case of London Bridge, Khuram Butt was an active subject of interest who had been under investigation since mid-2015. A number of different investigative means were deployed against him, but they did not reveal his plans. His two conspirators had never been investigated by MI5 or CT Policing.
In regards to Finsbury Park, neither MI5 nor the police had any intelligence about this attack.
The recommendations made in the MI5 and police operational review fall into four broad categories:
First, there needs to be a concerted effort to enhance MI5 and the police’s ability to use data to detect activity of concern, and to test new approaches in the acquisition, sharing and analysis of data.
Second, MI5 should share its intelligence more widely, and work with partners such as local authorities on how best to manage the risk posed by closed subjects of interest in particular. We are considering undertaking multi-agency pilots in a number of areas including Greater Manchester, and I have already started discussing how to take this forward with Andy Burnham.
Third, there should be a new approach to managing domestic extremism, particularly extreme right wing groups, where their activity meets the definition of terrorism. Fourth, there are a large number of detailed and technical changes which could be made to improve existing operational counter-terrorism processes.

Link:https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/statement-on-reviews-into-the-attacks-in-manchester-and-london

I have selected from the report a few key points IMHO:
1.13 to 1.27 is a short section on terminology and in IMHO is the clearest explanation of how MI5 manages investigations and priorities in the public domain (There is a longer explanation in an Appendix pgs. 57-61; which has been amended after publication in an ISC report, November 2014).. 2.3 My more limited aim has been to give an idea of the quantity and quality of the intelligence that was available on each attacker at material times, thus introducing the context that needs to be understood before sense can be made of the recommendations in the various internal reviews.
2.38 Another tool promised well, but did not produce results in time. A process devised by MI5 to identify activity of renewed intelligence interest conducted by closed SOIs, using targeted data exploitation and other automated techniques, identified Salman Abedi as one of a small number of individuals, out of a total of more than 20,000 closed SOIs, who merited further examination.
2.77 How best to deal with the risk from persons not under active investigation has been a long-standing challenge for MI5, in respect of which a number of solutions have been tried in the past.39 Many of the recommendations in the OIR, summarised in chapter 3 below, are directed to improving coverage of such persons.

The report at 5.23 cites the Director General of MI5 recently described the work of his staff in the following terms
They are constantly making tough professional judgments based on fragments of intelligence: pin pricks of light against a dark and shifting canvas.
Link to the report:https://www.daqc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/12/Report.pdf and his introduction:https://www.daqc.co.uk/2017/12/05/report-mi5-police-intelligence-handling-reviews/

To be continued.

davidbfpo

01-29-2018, 09:58 PM

The Anderson Report (as it is known) was well covered at the time and I have selected three particular comments.

The first is a quote from the report:
The unpalatable lesson of London Bridge is that even priority subjects of interest in respect of whom sound decisions are being made ... may retain the ability to conceal their attack planning from the authorities.Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/05/mi5-manchester-attack-report-david-anderson

Dan Lomas, an academic observer, commented:
Yet headlines like these are misleading, neglecting the nuance in Anderson’s report that the decision to ignore or misinterpret the intelligence on Abedi was “understandable” in the circumstances, overlooking the complex nature of counter-terror investigations. So could the Manchester bombing really have been prevented?
Link:https://theconversation.com/the-manchester-bombing-unknown-unknowns-and-hindsight-bias-88708?

From a privacy pressure group:
The report states that there is “certainly room for improvement in analysing and sharing data”, and identifies three potential changes as being particularly important:

Improving “the ability of MI5 and the police to exploit data to detect activity of concern”: in particular, “a better strategy for acquiring, analysing and sharing data across intelligence and policing, for example through wider use of bulk personal datasets”;

“Enhancement of tools” such as a process devised by MI5 “to identify activity of renewed intelligence interest conducted by [suspects]”, through “data exploitation and other automatic techniques”;

Allowing intelligence agencies such as MI5 to share its knowledge “beyond intelligence

The security and intelligence services should make their decisions based on objective evidence, not algorithmic speculation which may result in UK citizens’ privacy rights being infringed.
Link:https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/2017/12/review-of-security-and-intelligence-services-proposes-using-algorithms-and-increasing-bulk-personal-datasets-to-catch-terrorists/

davidbfpo

02-01-2018, 06:47 PM

A spin off from today's jailing of a white extremist for a murder in London last year of a Muslim man leaving a mosque, is the velocity of the radicalization process.

Sarah Andrews, his estranged partner, told detectives that Osborne was radicalised into a terrorist murderer in three weeks. Friends and family say there were no previous signs of racism or extremism. The catalyst, police believe, came three weeks before the attack, when his attitudes began to metastasise after he watched Three Girls, a BBC TV drama (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/may/17/three-girls-review-rochdale-child-sexual-abuse-scandal) about the Rochdale grooming scandal. He also read extremist right wing propaganda online that left him “brainwashed” and a “ticking time bomb”.
Paul Gill, a terrorism expert and senior lecturer at at University College London, said radicalisation can be rapid, making it almost impossible to detect.
“It is rare, but violent extremism can occur quickly,” he said. “Brusthom Ziamani was a Jehovah’s Witness three months prior to his arrest for an Isis-inspired plot. It is usually expedited by primitive attack plans and a history of criminal activity and violence.”Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/01/finsbury-park-london-mosque-van-attack-darren-osborne-makram-ali

I had to identify the reference to Brusthom Ziamani:
A teenager inspired by the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby has been jailed for 22 years for plotting to behead a British soldier. Brusthom Ziamani was carrying a hammer and a 12-inch knife wrapped in an “Islamic flag” when he was arrested by police in London in August.Link:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/teenager-brusthom-ziamani-jailed-for-22-years-for-plotting-to-behead-british-solider-in-attack-10122505.html

I recall the Islamists in the Madrid train attacks were radicalized in six weeks.

davidbfpo

02-04-2018, 07:41 PM

A snippet for UK CT in 2016:
There were 62 trials for terrorism related offences in 2016. Of these, 54 persons were convicted and 8 acquitted.
Link:https://terrorismlegislationreviewer.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Terrorism-Acts-in-2016.pdf

davidbfpo

02-17-2018, 03:54 PM

A Q&A with the UK's most senior police CT officer, the Met's Neil Basu, in 'Sentinel' CTC's e-journal, conducted by RUSI's Raffaello Pantucci.
Link:https://ctc.usma.edu/view-ct-foxhole-neil-basu-senior-national-coordinator-counterterrorism-policing-united-kingdom

A broad range in the Q&A and some answers are not "on message", notably about Prevent.

davidbfpo

02-19-2018, 10:09 PM

A broad comment on the issues around returning foreign fighters by an "insider":
Ian Acheson led the independent review of Islamist extremism in prisons and probation ordered by then Justice Secretary Michael Gove in 2016A classic example of how weak the UK CT approach is:
When I carried out my review of Islamist extremism for Government I was astonished to find that absolutely no thought had been given to forecasting the numbers of returning foreign fighters who might enter custody and how their special risks might be managed when they did. The expected surge hasn’t happened – yet – but the prison service is barely capable of maintaining order in our high security prisons, let alone accommodate a surge of combat-hardened Islamist terrorists.Link:https://capx.co/how-to-deal-with-returning-isis-fighters/

davidbfpo

02-27-2018, 09:34 AM

Yesterday Asst. Commissioner Mark Rowley, the National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, delivered a valedictory speech in London to Policy Exchange and he retires next month. There are numerous reports, some reflect his concerns and others identify his remarks on where public policy is lacking, notably whether radicalised families should retain their children.

A full transcript is available:https://policyexchange.org.uk/pxevents/the-colin-cramphorn-memorial-lecture-by-mark-rowley/

The BBC highlighted this:
Islamist and right-wing extremism is reaching into our communities through sophisticated propaganda and subversive strategies creating and exploiting vulnerabilities that can ultimately lead to acts of violence and terrorism. "Ten conspiracies of an Islamist nature were stopped since the Westminster attack. "And I can tell you today that over the same period police have been able to prevent a further four extreme, right-wing inspired plots in the UK.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43200966

From the newspapers:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/finsbury-park-terror-attack-tommy-robinson-far-right-britain-first-mark-rowley-speech-police-a8229936.html and https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/26/four-far-right-plots-thwarted-last-year-says-counter-terrorism-chief-mark-rowley? (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/26/four-far-right-plots-thwarted-last-year-says-counter-terrorism-chief-mark-rowley?CMP=share_btn_tw)

davidbfpo

02-28-2018, 03:59 PM

This is now getting beyond a joke, if you accept a parliamentary report and the headline:
Let terrorists off jail because they may become more radicalised inside, say MPs

Why?
The Commons Justice Select Committee said it was making the call for leniency because counter-radicalisation work in jails was often “absent or inadequate”. As a result, the courts should consider whether a non-custodial sentence would be better than prison for rehabilitating the “lowest level” of terrorist offenders.
Link:https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/let-terrorists-off-jail-because-they-may-become-more-radicalised-inside-say-mps-a3776571.html

Given our existing experience and that from Northern Ireland surely politicians and bureaucrats have learnt that a CT strategy that pursues law enforcement cannot ignore what happens when imprisonment is used. Apparently not.

davidbfpo

03-20-2018, 11:08 AM

Last week an Iraqi teenage asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan, who had been in foster care for two years, was convicted for a bomb attack on the London Underground, the bomb was faulty and only partly worked, injuring fifty-one. The foster parents knew nothing about his intentions, nor that for a year he had been subject of a counter-radicalisation action. Hassan awaits sentencing.

The carers were interviewed by ITV and this link is a detailed account. It ends with:
We've asked ourselves time and time again 'what did we miss? Link:http://www.itv.com/news/2018-03-19/stunned-foster-parents-tell-itv-news-they-loved-parsons-green-bomber-ahmed-hassan-like-a-son-and-never-suspected-him/
The BBC News report is shorter:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43463856

davidbfpo

03-23-2018, 04:14 PM

His day in court:
Passing sentence, the judge, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, said he would be treating the incident as a terrorist offence.In a January 2016 immigration interview, Hassan told officials he had been in contact with the Islamic State group and had been "trained to kill". The trial also heard he blamed the UK for the death of his father in Iraq.
The judge told Hassan: "There is no doubt that you are a very dangerous and devious individual. You quietly went about planning and executing this terrorist bomb attack with ruthless determination and almost military efficiency, whilst pretending to be a model asylum-seeker. I am satisfied you were determined to create as much death and carnage that day as possible."
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43519540

The day before there was a report that the police investigation had missed his motivation; clearly the judge did not need that evidence:
Our investigations show that police found evidence of Hassan’s affiliation with the terrorist group, but misinterpreted the material and sent flawed information to prosecutors.
Link:https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/parsons-green-attack-police-missed-isis-evidence-bombing-tube-a8267601.html

davidbfpo

03-23-2018, 04:17 PM

From the BBC Newsnight team and placed on YouTube (19 mins):
A year ago a 52 year old British man - Khalid Masood - brought terror to the heart of Westminster. More than fifty people were injured - five were killed. This Newsnight investigation by Richard Watson and Maria Polachowska reports on who he was and how he was radicalised.
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEXNuVFVfDM

davidbfpo

04-10-2018, 10:41 AM

A quick overview on this problem by James Brandon and an almost laughable, sadly true passage:
In contrast to this tough approach abroad, the treatment of many returnees has been exceedingly lenient, with only a fraction of returnees prosecuted. Indeed, a recent parliamentary report on terrorist sentencing recommended that—such was the level of prison radicalization and that absence of an effective de-radicalization scheme—those convicted of more minor terrorism offensives should receive a non-custodial sentence.
Link:https://jamestown.org/program/the-threat-from-british-jihadists-after-the-caliphates-fall/

davidbfpo

04-15-2018, 11:12 AM

A long article reflecting on Fusilier Rigby's murder (run down by a car and knifed / axed) nearly five years ago by Raffaello Pantucci, of RUSI and sub-titled:
The murder of Lee Rigby five years ago ushered in a wave of ‘easy’ extremist violence. But will such random acts result in radical Islam losing its malign ideological power?
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/15/day-new-terror-unleashed-lee-rigby-murder-woolwich

AdamG

06-07-2018, 08:31 PM

A British teenager was convicted Monday of plotting a grenade attack on the British Museum after failing in her ambition to become a jihadi bride in Syria.

Safaa Boular, 18, of London was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism. Her mother and sister admitted helping her, making the case Britain’s first involving an all-female cell of Islamic state-inspired plotters.

Boular plotted a grenade and gun attack in messages exchanged with her ISIS lover, who she hoped to marry before he was killed in 2017, prosecutors said. Boular “bonded” with her lover over their favorite show “Deal of No Deal” and the couple discussed how they’d kill former President Obama.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/04/uk-teen-convicted-museum-attack-plot-with-mother-sister.html

davidbfpo

06-07-2018, 08:50 PM

There are two UK extensive articles on this trial, where the sentences have not been given yet. The BBC:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44359958 and The Guardian:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/04/how-london-teenager-plotted-attacks-with-all-female-terror-cell

As one SME remarked:
Much has been written about the power of Isis’s tactics to attract young recruits to Syria. According to Dr Joana Cook, a senior research fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King’s College London, this case reflects a trend largely unique to Isis – the involvement of young women. “When we see younger women involved in terrorist organisations, there’s automatically a general assumption that they are groomed,” Cook told the Guardian. “For some cases this very well may be correct. But there’s also a tendency in analysing cases like this to not recognise the agency and independent choice that some women may have to become involved in plots like this, or to engage and reach out to actors that might facilitate it.”

davidbfpo

06-15-2018, 12:31 PM

Last week the UK government published an updated edition of 'Operation Contest', along with attendant publicity and with some new legislation being presented to Parliament.

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid (IIRC a non-practicing Muslim), placed an emphasis in his speech on:
Ultimately, our approach is about ensuring that there are no safe spaces for terrorists...First, we will work to disrupt threats earlier and we are bringing forward new legislation to enable us to do that.WeÂ’ll intervene earlier in investigations.....Fourth, we will work more closely with key partners outside of central government. We are piloting new multi-agency centres in London, Manchester and the West Midlands, to bring together the widest range of partners and improve our understanding of those at risk of becoming involved in terrorism. No government can say it will be possible to stop every single attack before it happens.This is the reality.
Link:http://https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/home-secretary-announces-new-counter-terrorism-strategy

One London-based writer was very critical:
Javid is now in danger of capitulating to terrorismÂ’s prime goal, which is to undermine the liberties and dignities of the state. Britain is utterly obsessed with terrorism....We must be educated to accept a balance of risk. Terrorists aim to change our way of life. They want to show our much-vaunted freedoms and tolerances to be a sham. The one thing not to do is suggest they might be right. That is what Javid is doing today.
Link:http://https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/04/sajid-javid-counter-terrorism-plans-britain-freedom?

In response to the new legislation Liberty, a human rights NGO, has issued a briefing.
Link:https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/sites/default/files/Liberty%27s%20Second%20Reading%20Briefing%20%20on% 20the%20Counter-Terrorism%20Bill%20FINAL.pdf

In one parliamentary debate the Security Minister (a former Army officer who served in Northern Ireland) stated that "400 fighters had returned from the Middle East, only 10% have been prosecuted".

Yesterday the UK's top police officer responsible for CT issued a statement:
In the year to March 2018, 441 arrests were made, compared to 378 in the preceding year, marking a 17 per cent increase.
Link:http://http://news.met.police.uk/news/terrorism-arrests-up-17-per-cent-in-past-year-310599

The police statement refers to the published figures and with my emphasis:
143 (32%) resulted in a charge, of which 114 (80%) were terrorism-related and 250 (57%) were released without charge. Individuals can be detained for up to 14 days (solitary confinement) under the Terrorism Act. There were 156 detentions in 2017, only 52 of which led to a charge.
Link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/716000/police-powers-terrorism-mar2018-hosb0918.pdf