Britain's terrorism watchdog has criticised the government's proposed new security laws, describing some of the measures as an "announcement waiting for a policy".
A survey has revealed that nearly three quarters (73%) of individuals who live or work in the City of London are concerned about terrorism compared to 68% of all London adults. An even greater number of Londoners (87%) think that members of the public are important in fighting terrorism, with nearly three quarters (73%) of survey respondents stating they’re likely to report suspicious behaviour to the police.
British forces and US Marines formally ended their combat operations in Afghanistan on Sunday after 13 years of war that overthrew the Taliban regime and helped install a fragile democracy but failed to defeat the Islamist militants on the battlefield.
The government has awarded £3.2bn of contracts to maintain the Royal Navy’s warships and submarines at the Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth naval bases, in a move that secures 7,500 jobs.
Citing threats from Islamic extremism and Russia, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has warned the prime minister and chancellor not to cut the UK’s defence budget after the next election.
The radical preacher Anjhem Choudary has been arrested along with nine other men on suspicion of supporting a banned terrorist group and encouraging terrorism.
Senior EU officials have said that a major Islamist terror attack in a European centre is increasingly likely, with Islamic State (Isis) members who were raised in Europe returning from the fray in Iraq and Syria.
British police arrested nine men in London on Thursday morning on suspicion of encouraging terrorism and being members of and supporting banned organisations.
Addressing parliament before the NATO Summit in Wales, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a range of measures to combat the growing threat of Islamic State extremism.
