Home Secretary to unveil new counter-terrorism strategy
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In his first keynote speech on security, the Home Secretary Sajid
Javid, will today (Monday 4 June) set out how the Government,
police, security and intelligence agencies, private and public
sectors and communities must unite against the menace of
terrorism. In the speech, to be delivered to an
audience of counter-terrorism experts, business and community
leaders and the operational counter-terrorism community the Home
Secretary is expected to say:...Request free trial
In his first keynote speech on security, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid, will today (Monday 4 June) set out how the Government, police, security and intelligence agencies, private and public sectors and communities must unite against the menace of terrorism.
In the speech, to be delivered to an audience of counter-terrorism experts, business and community leaders and the operational counter-terrorism community the Home Secretary is expected to say:
“My priority will always be to keep our country safe. The threat from terrorism is one of the starkest we face. Last year, sickening acts of terrorism in the UK claimed the lives of 36 people and changed the lives of many more
“As Home Secretary, I’m regularly briefed on the current terrorist threat by the UK intelligence community and by counter-terrorist police. I see the very latest intelligence.
“And it’s very clear that there has been a step-change in the threat from terrorism.
He will draw parallels between the threat presented by the extreme right wing and Islamist terrorism:
“The biggest threat is from Islamist terrorism – including Al Qa’ida, but particularly from Daesh. But the threat doesn’t only come from Daesh.
“Extreme right-wing terrorism is also an increasing threat. Daesh and the extreme right wing are more similar than they might like to think.
“They both exploit grievances, distort the truth, and undermine the values that hold us together.”
He will explain the rigorous work that has underpinned the revised strategy:
“The threats are evolving. We must evolve too. Our revised counter-terrorism strategy – known as CONTEST – incorporates the lessons learnt from the attacks in 2017 and our responses to them. It has been informed by the latest research and secret intelligence.
“Ultimately, our approach is about ensuring that there are no safe spaces for terrorists. No safe spaces internationally, in the UK or online.”
He will highlight six approaches to confront the terrorist threat. In the speech, he will say the Government:
- will work to disrupt threats earlier and we are bringing forward new legislation to enable us to do that. - will continue to make sure Counter-Terrorism Policing and our security and intelligence services have the support they need. - will work more closely with our international partners. - will work more with key partners outside of central Government and increase our cooperation with the private sector. - must work together with technology companies to get terrorist material off the internet. - will do more to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
The Home Secretary will outline plans to work more closely with businesses to close down the spaces in which terrorists can operate and will commit to taking advantage of emerging technology:
“I’m committed to improving how we work with businesses across a range of issues.
“That includes faster alerts for suspicious purchases, improving security at crowded places across the UK, and reducing the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure.
“And we must also get better at harnessing private sector and academic innovation.
“New detection techniques, data analytics and machine learning all have the potential to dramatically enhance our counter-terrorism capabilities.
The Home Secretary will also stand by the work carried out under the Government’s Prevent programme and will reiterate its importance as a means to protect vulnerable. He will say:
“The Prevent strategy will remain a vital part of our counter-terrorism work. Yes, I recognise the criticisms, but I absolutely support it.
“Misapprehensions around Prevent are often based on distortions. They are based on a lack of understanding about the grassroots work involved, and the efforts by civil society groups and public-sector workers to protect vulnerable people.
“We have a moral and social obligation to protect and support vulnerable people from the twisted propaganda of those seeking to radicalise them and Prevent is about doing just that.
Concluding his speech, the Home Secretary will call on the whole of society to unite to challenge extreme ideologies:
“We need to offer compelling alternatives to the narrative of hate. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Islamist extremists, with their claims that our shared values are incompatible with the religion of Islam.
“Or the hateful extremists of the far right, who feed off the narratives of Islamists to attack our multi-ethnic society. These people want to destroy the values we hold dear, and undermine the freedoms that make us who we are.
“And there’s one other thing that Islamists and the far right have in common. As a Home Secretary with a name like SAJID JAVID - I’m everything they despise.
“So the way I see it, I must be doing something right.”
Notes to editors:
The threat level assessed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) is SEVERE meaning an attack is highly likely. Twice in 2017 JTAC raised the threat level to CRITICAL.
The Security and Intelligence Agencies and CT policing have foiled 25 Islamist plots since June 2013, 12 since March 2017.
They are currently handling over 500 live operations involving roughly 3,000 ‘subjects of interest’. In addition, there are over 20,000 further individuals – or closed subjects of interest – who have previously been investigated, and may again pose a threat.
The UK now faces a number of different and enduring terrorist threats. Islamist terrorism remains the most severe, in particular that inspired by Daesh and Al Qa’ida.
However extreme right-wing terrorism is a growing threat and in 2016 we proscribed an extreme right-wing terrorist group, National Action, for the first time. Four extreme right-wing plots have been disrupted since March 2017.
Meanwhile Northern Ireland related terrorism continues to pose a serious threat in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
In summary we expect the threat from Islamist terrorism to remain at its current, heightened level for at least the next two years, and that it may increase further.
We assess the threat from extreme right-wing terrorism is growing. The threat from terrorism is constantly evolving. Globally, terrorist groups and networks of all ideologies continue to develop organically, exploiting social media, technology and science to further their aims and ambitions.
The Government has reviewed the UK’s entire counter-terrorism strategy, known as CONTEST, to make sure we respond effectively to the growing and changing threat.
This strengthened strategy sets out how we will build on the UK’s formidable capabilities, experience and expertise to reduce the risk posed by terrorism in all its forms.
It reflects the findings of a fundamental review of all aspects of counter-terrorism, to ensure we have the best response to the heightened threat in coming years.
The review found CONTEST to be well-organised and comprehensive and that we should update our approach within the tried and tested strategic framework of four ‘P’ work strands:
However, the review concluded that a change in our approach within this framework would increase our ability to counter the shift in threat.
This will include a step-change in our domestic investigative capabilities through implementing the recommendations of MI5 and CT Policing’s Operational Improvement Review, overseen by David Anderson in his report published in December 2017..
The recommendations made in the MI5 and police operational review fell into four broad categories (see statement to Parliament made by then Home Secretary Amber Rudd on 5 December 2017):
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