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Britain’s terror threat level has been raised to “severe”, according to Home Secretary Priti Patel, meaning that an attack is now considered highly likely.
The change comes after a gunman in Vienna identified as a convicted jihadist killed four people in a terror attack overnight.
“This is a precautionary measure and is not based on any specific threat,” Ms. Patel said on Twitter.
“The British public should have no doubt that we will take the strongest possible measures to protect our national security.”
He did not mention the Vienna attack in his statement.
The new threat level means that an attack is highly likely, according to the UK government’s rating system. The “substantial” level above meant that an attack was likely.
The independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Center has changed the UK’s national terror threat level to SEVERE.
This means that a terrorist attack is very likely to occur.
People should be alert but not alarmed and report their concerns to the police.
Read more: https://t.co/JiKoBi87US pic.twitter.com/XVRRlnESHm
– Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) November 3, 2020
The UK’s decision was made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center (JTAC), which conducts a formal threat level review every six months, independent of government ministers.
JTAC’s membership includes MI5 security services and its overseas counterpart MI6, and the police, and assesses all intelligence related to terrorism at home and abroad.
The level was briefly raised twice to “critical”, the maximum level indicating an attack is “very likely in the near future”, in May and September 2017.
The move was in response to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Manchester and London were also attacked by deadly Islamist militants that year.
It was also changed to “critical” in August 2006 after security services said they had foiled a plot to blow up flights between Britain and the United States.
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