Police patrols increased over raised terrorist threat during the Christmas shopping in Manchester
The country’s most senior counter terrorism officer has warned Christmas shoppers in Manchester to be ‘extra vigilant’ amid an increased risk of a terror attack.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said patrols by armed police in Manchester will be increased and security for major events both in venues and outdoors will be reviewed.
He was speaking as the terror threat level has risen from substantial to severe in the wake of the murder of MP Sir David Amess, and Sunday’s explosion in Liverpool.
He vowed police and security services are “working night and day” to protect Manchester from another attack. But he urged shop workers and the public to be extra vigilant and not to hesitate to report anything suspicious.
Manchester saw 22 people murdered in a suicide bomb attack by Salman Abedi on the Manchester Arena in 2017 and the city centre targeted in an IRA attack in 1996.
AC Jukes said: “The national threat level has moved from substantial to severe meaning that an attack is highly likely. What we have seen in the past is that when terrorist attacks take place in close succession there is an increased threat of a further attack.
“People get emboldened or encouraged by the earlier attacks. As tragically we have seen these threats exists all around the UK.
“We know that policing and other security responses will make a huge difference but it is also the preparedness of businesses that will do a huge amount to save lives. We have seen how members of staff instinctively or through training have known how to react when a terrorist act unfolds.
“We are in a festive period, the first that might feel more normal than the last couple of years at a time when we have 800 live investigations in counter terrorism policing.
“We have seen the murder of MP Sir David Amess, and the very troubling events in Liverpool in the last week. It is a very focused time for counter terrorism policing and a time when we reach out to the public and ask them to play their part with extra vigilance.
“It can be a member of the family, a friend, a neighbour, if you spot the change in behaviour or the unusual activity which might be a signal towards a movement to a terrorist act.
“I worked operationally in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack and recognise the devastating affect on the families and on the city. We also recognise the phenomenal resilience of Manchester and those other cities that experienced terrorist events.
“None of us want our way of life to be changed by terrorism and in order for that to be the case people in Manchester need to know that the police and our security service partners are working day and night to investigate indications of any terrorist threat.
“In Manchester and other cities the public have a really powerful contribution to make to keep our cities safe. The calls the public make are never wasted.”
He said that annually counter terrorism police receive 10,000 calls of which one in five lead to useful intelligence.
“We want people to be vigilant, to be alert, to use their instinct, and if they see something that doesn’t feel right then make a call. But also, not to be alarmed as we go into this festive period because I know from speaking to colleagues all around the country their attention is really focused to ensure visible patrols are in city centres to keep places safe and the businesses we work with have he information they need to play their part.”
Asked if their would be increased armed officers and security reviews at Old Trafford, The Etihad, the Trafford Centre, and the Arndale shopping centre he said: “All across the country there have been reviews in relation to where people gather in large numbers. We know they have proved to an attractive target for terrorists.”
On Sunday Emad Al Swealmeen, an Iraqi asylum seeker, was killed when a bomb he had built partly exploded in a taxi in which he was travelling as it pulled up outside Liverpool’s Women’s Hospital.
Commenting on the incident when asked if people in the city could now assume it was safe to resume normal life after what appeared to be a lone wolf attack, he said: “This is an active investigation. Whilst at this stage of know of no other person that is being linked to the event that is a question we have to keep in our minds.”
He said people in Liverpool should remain vigilant. “A vehicle out of place, a strange purchase, online activity, a change in attitude or behaviour of a family member, all of these thinks have in the past been signals of movement towards violent extremism and terrorism. That may come from a range of sources – at times from very young people and people with a host of backgrounds.
“So, though we hope the threat in this case is contained and we will work with colleagues around the country to ensure it is we have to reflect on a threat to our communities which is enduring.”
He added that all 648 of the UK’s MPs had now been contacted and offered the opportunity to review their individual security.
AC Jukes added: “I think it is a credit to people that despite the current threat they go on with their daily lives. We know that organisers of planned events will review them to make them as safe as possible. We all hope we have a safe festive period which people so much feel they need now.”
He said the largest contributor to counter terrorism police’s workload in the UK was the Islamist terrorist threat but an “increasing” part of their caseload was extreme right-wing terrorism, often involving young people, fuelled by online neo-Nazi material.
“What we have seen less of in recent years is people who have been directed from overseas by international terrorist groups.”
He said the majority of the terrorist threat to the UK is home-grown, and posed by British-born extremists.
But he said counter terrorism police had a strong presence at UK ports, working closely with Border Force to identify anyone of concern coming into, or attempting to come into, the UK.
Speaking of the Liverpool incident he said: “We have yet to understand why the hospital was targeted. We have worked with government departments to make sure hospitals have refreshed security advice, with local police support.”
Source: The World News
