UK Counter-Terrorism (merged thread)

[davidbfpo]

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...orism-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/c...itain-freedom?

In response to the new legislation Liberty, a human rights NGO, has issued a briefing.
Link:https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.u...ll%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/new...st-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.go...8-hosb0918.pdf

[davidbfpo]

An update on posts 239 & 240 and the title comes from a BBC report:

A mother and daughter, who were part of the UK's first all-female terror cell, have been jailed over a planned knife attack near the Houses of Parliament. Rizlaine Boular, 22, who was going to carry out the attack, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years. Her mother, Mina Dich, 44, has been given six years and nine months at the Old Bailey for helping her daughter. The pair pleaded guilty to the preparation of terrorist acts.

Two others will be sentenced later (a sister and a male).
Link:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44496433

A slightly more detailed report, which mentions:

The plot was foiled by counter-terrorism police and MI5 agents, who bugged the family home, recorded phone conversations and posed online as Islamic State operatives.

Link:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...on-knife-plot?

[davidbfpo]

Ho hum too close to his former home:

A car mechanic from the West Midlands who became a master bomb maker for Isis is the reason for America’s laptop ban on flights, a former MI6 spy has revealed. Hamayun Tariq, 41, from Dudley, twice evaded the UK authorities to travel abroad where he is believed to have helped create bombs that could be disguised as laptop batteries and taken on planes. He is now feared to be adapting drones to strike football stadiums and other crowded venues.

Described as a “psychopath”, Tariq is thought to be the most accomplished terrorist bomber to emerge from Britain. The disclosures come from Aimen Dean, a former al-Qaeda explosives expert recruited by MI6 and MI5 to infiltrate UK jihadist circles.

Link:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/u...hts-kchj3mqcf?


Post 142 on pg.8 is an earlier reference to his appearance.

[davidbfpo]

From the BBC News a pre-sentencing report on a Jihadist attacker:

Khalid Ali was carrying three knives when he was tackled by armed officers near Downing Street in April 2017 - and was just moments from being able to attack police, politicians or military personnel. But unknown to him, clues picked up from bomb parts recovered from Afghanistan more than four years earlier meant that police were watching his every move....Ali's mother - concerned by his behaviour - went to his room and found four knives, which she took to a different part of the house....On his return an argument broke out when Ali realised the knives were missing. His mother called the police.

Link:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44570128

[davidbfpo]

An update on sentencing:

A plumber has been jailed for life for planning a terror attack in Westminster and making bombs for the Taliban. It was later revealed that he had spent five years in Afghanistan making bombs. He will serve with a minimum term of 40 years for preparing an act of terrorism in the UK and two counts of possessing an explosive substance with intent.

A rather confident explanation by the police in the circumstances:

Police earlier defended the decision not to arrest Ali until April 2017, saying security services had been "managing any potential risk he posed" and that he was arrested at the most appropriate time".

Link:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44901792

[AdamG]

Car collides with barriers outside Parliament at 7.37am
Woman in hospital with "serious" injuries, two others treated
Male driver arrested on suspicion of terror offences
Man, in his 20s, not co-operating with police
Met Police treating crash as terror incident
Cordons in place and Westminster Tube station remains closed

https://news.sky.com/story/live-pede...ament-11472260

[davidbfpo]

One of the unique features of UK CT is the role of the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation (IRTL), held so far by an eminent lawyer and the current incumbent, Max Hill, is moving now to be the Director of Public Prosecutions, heading the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales.
He has just submitted his final report to the government, published online and spoke last week at an event. Within are some figures of note, such as the numbers of those arrested for terrorism who are charged in the last year: in Great Britain 33% (it was 73% last year) and in Northern Ireland 6%.
Link to speech (10 pgs.):https://terrorismlegislationreviewer...ITY-SUMMIT.pdf

Link to his report (149 pgs.):https://terrorismlegislationreviewer...orismacts2017/