National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
UK terrorist threat level raised to 'severe'
Alan Johnston: "The number one job of the government is to keep the public safe"
The UK terror threat level is being raised from "substantial" to "severe", Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said.
The new alert level means a terrorist attack is considered "highly likely". It had stood at substantial since July.
It is in response to the perceived increased threat from international terrorism following the failed Detroit airliner bombing on Christmas Day.
Mr Johnson stressed there was no intelligence to suggest a terrorist attack was imminent.
The decision to raise the threat level was made by the UK's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).
THREAT LEVEL SYSTEM
Low - attack is unlikely
Moderate - attack is possible, but not likely
Substantial - attack is a strong possibility
Severe - attack is highly likely
Critical - attack is expected imminently
Mr Johnson said JTAC kept the threat level under constant review, making its judgments based on a broad range of factors, including the intent and capabilities of international terrorist groups in the UK and overseas.
He said: "We still face a real and serious threat to the UK from international terrorism, so I would urge the public to remain vigilant and carry on reporting suspicious events to the appropriate authorities and to support the police and security services in their continuing efforts to discover, track and disrupt terrorist activity."
Mr Johnson said the new level meant people needed to be "more aware".
The decision to raise the threat level was not specifically linked to the failed Christmas Day bomb attack on a plane bound for Detroit or to any other incident, he said.
He said the government would not reveal specific intelligence details.
The UK had not reached the highest threat level of "critical", which would mean an attack was imminent.
Move mirrors US
He added: "We have a very adept and very focused counter terrorism facility in this country, which consists of many police officers as well as security officers, so the public should be reassured by that."
The US Department of Homeland Security said the move meant the UK would be on a similar level of alert to America.
In a statement it said: "The UK is raising their measures to effectively where we are with the airport security measures that we have taken and announced over the last few weeks.
"We have enhanced our security measures and communicated specific information to industry, law enforcement and the American people."
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said the perceived threat from Yemen since the Christmas day attempted attack may be one factor behind the decision to raise the threat level.
But he added that there might be additional factors which have not been revealed by the government.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced on Wednesday that direct flights between Yemen and the UK were to be suspended over fears about their safety.
There are five levels of terror threat, ranging from low - meaning an attack is unlikely - to critical - when an attack is expected imminently. Severe is the second highest level on the scale.
So which is it, Highly Likely, but there's no Intelligence?
what?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8476238.stm
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
It seems everyone hates America, but Europe is the one with the terrorist proublems :lol:
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knux897
It seems everyone hates America, but Europe is the one with the terrorist proublems :lol:
Really ? Detroit no longer is in the US ?
In Holland they kept it at 'limited', seems like that failed attack over Christmas didn't really cause them to change it.
CGT, there is a difference between 'intelligence' and 'flutter', if you only go by the latter you will always be too late.
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
Really ? Detroit no longer is in the US ?
In Holland they kept it at 'limited', seems like that failed attack over Christmas didn't really cause them to change it.
CGT, there is a difference between 'intelligence' and 'flutter', if you only go by the latter you will always be too late.
So we need a coordinated global alert system? UK is simply coming around to US standards? Yeah, like that's supposed to make us feel better. :o
ps Hazir, it's GGT not CGT, or you can call me Gigi or GeeGee ;)
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
CGT, there is a difference between 'intelligence' and 'flutter', if you only go by the latter you will always be too late.
Even without attackers father trying to warn us, there were serious lapses in security. If somebody is flying to Detroit in December without so much as a coat, I'm checking them out a little more. This case had more than 'flutter', but no intelligence.
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Hazir hails from Amsterdam, where the Christmas bomber wannabe boarded a plane to Detroit. :flail:
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
They don't take clothes appropriate to their destination? Or, as is more likely the case, say "That poor Nigerian fellow is going to freeze his sac off in Detroit"
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by rumrunner
They don't take clothes appropriate to their destination? Or, as is more likely the case, say "That poor Nigerian fellow is going to freeze his sac off in Detroit"
I think they will assume people can also take care of that on the other side. It was quite cold at the time already in Amsterdam by the way.
For US flights, people at Schiphol now have to go through a full body scanner.
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
I think they will assume people can also take care of that on the other side. It was quite cold at the time already in Amsterdam by the way.
For US flights, people at Schiphol now have to go through a full body scanner.
Might just be me, but i don't travel without at least an overnight bag. Even if I were expecting to shop for something else once I arrived. I'm sure, if you break it down, there are any number of ways to explain having no luggage on an international flight. But I, for one, would be suspicious of it.
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by rumrunner
Might just be me, but i don't travel without at least an overnight bag. Even if I were expecting to shop for something else once I arrived. I'm sure, if you break it down, there are any number of ways to explain having no luggage on an international flight. But I, for one, would be suspicious of it.
Usually they are suspicious about it. But before the rules about liquids I did it all the time.
Re: National Terrorist Threat Levels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazir
Usually they are suspicious about it. But before the rules about liquids I did it all the time.
So what was the breakdown? The guy also had used his passport to travel to Amsterdam from Yemen.
You people live below sea level and rely on intelligence, for fucks sake.
