Brexit News Live: Latest Updates As Britain Raises Terrorist Threat To Severe

‘People should be alert’

The Interior Ministry has tweeted about raising the level of terrorist threat to “serious.”

“People should be alert but not alarmed,” the department said.

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The UK has raised its level of terrorist threat, following the recent attacks in France and Austria.

At least five people were killed after gunmen, who Austrian police believe had an Islamist motive, shot themselves in the capital on Monday night.

One woman was beheaded and two others killed in a knife attack at a Nice church in late October.

Samuel Paty, a teacher who had shown cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad of Islam to students during a lesson, was beheaded outside his school in October.

Explanation: terrorist threat level in the UK

The UK has raised its terrorist threat level from “substantial” to “serious”, which means that the authorities believe that an attack on the territory is highly likely.

“Severe” is the second highest option behind “Critical”, which means that an imminent attack is expected.

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Center (JTAC) decides the level and reviews it every six months, but does not always increase it after the attacks.

JTAC considered raising the level to “severe” just weeks after the November 2019 downgrade after the London Bridge Fishmongers’ Hall attack, but kept it at “substantial” meaning an attack is a great possibility.

Additional PA reports

‘This decision should not cause undue alarm’

Speaking about the change in the UK’s terror threat level, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow Home Secretary, said:

“This decision should not cause undue alarm, but it shows the importance of people remaining vigilant.

“Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police or the anti-terror hotline.

“We are grateful for the work of the Joint Center for Terrorism Analysis, our security services and our counterterrorism police, who continue to do vital work to keep us safe.”

Additional PA reports

Priti Patel says the change is not based on a specific threat

The UK Home Secretary has also said that the new level of terrorist threat is a precautionary measure.

The change from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’, which means the attacks are highly probable, is not based on any specific threat, he said.

Here’s his tweet about the new threat level:

‘Precautionary measure’

The UK’s Antiterrorist Police chief said there was “no intelligence” to link the attacks in Austria and France to the UK.

“Today, the threat level of terrorism has changed from substantial to severe as a precautionary measure in response to the events in France and Austria,” said Deputy Commissioner Neil Basu.

“This level of threat moving to severe means that a terrorist attack in the UK is very likely to occur, but I want to emphasize that the change is not based on a specific threat.”

Threat level increased day after Vienna attack

The UK terror threat was posed a day after a gunman attacked people in the Austrian capital.

You can find more information on the Vienna terror attack on Monday night here:

High terrorist threat level

The UK’s terror threat level has risen to severe, meaning attacks are highly probable.

Lizzie dearden, our home affairs and security correspondent has the full story:

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