Terrorists likely to launch nuke or biological attack on United Kingdom by 2030
Terrorists will launch a successful chemical, biological or nuclear attack on Britain within the next nine years, a shock government report has warned.
A review believes a terror cell is likely to mount a “dirty bomb” attack on the country by 2030.
The shocking claim comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to increase Britain’s arsenal of nuclear weapons in the post-Covid world.
The review said: “The main sources of terrorist threat are from Islamist and Northern Ireland-related terrorism and far-right, far-left, anarchist and single-issue terrorism.
“It is likely that a terrorist group will launch a successful CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) attack by 2030.”
Sir Alex Younger, former head of intelligence service MI6, said he was not aware a terrorist bomb attack was an “imminent issue”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “That’s been a standing feature of the terrorist threat, the small possibility that terrorist groups might get hold of strategic weapons and their long-standing aspiration to do so.
“We clearly need to stay focused on it, I’m not aware of any information that has it as an imminent issue but clearly it has got to stay factored in.”
The review says British troops will serve overseas “more often and for longer” as the country tries to carve out a role as the world’s policeman in the “new frontiers” of space and cyber warfare, the Sun reports.
They will “train, exercise and operate alongside allies and partners across all our priority regions” and “build the capacity of others to deter and defend against state threats and where necessary, assist nations in countering non-state challenges” like terrorists.
The Prime Minister is planning a massive £24 billion increase in defence spending to help achieve this aim.
The nuclear deterrent will be upped from the current stock of not more than 180 warheads to not more than 260, amid fears other countries are “increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals.”
A leaked copy of the Integrated Review warns Britain “must do a better job of putting interests and values of the British people at the heart of everything we do”.
Johnson will unveil a doomsday vision of the world by 2030 that shows the threats heightened by the fall out from the pandemic.
These include a dramatic increase in new technology and modern warfare to keep Britain “match fit”.
The Ministry of Defence said the armed forces were changing to meet new threats.
A spokesperson said: “As threats change our armed forces must change.
“They are being redesigned to confront future threats, not re-fight old wars. The Armed Forces will be fully staffed and equipped to confront those threats.”
Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of think tank the Henry Jackson Society, said the leaked report “says loud and clear that global Britain is back”.
He added: “It also makes clear we must be aware of the very real threats to our way of life”
Source: Daily Star
