Counter-terrorism strategy
Threat levels
On 1 August 2006 information on the threat level to the UK from terrorism was made available to the public.
The current threat level is Severe
The current threat level is shown on the Home Office public website (new window) and the Security Service (MI5) website (new window).
How do we decide threat levels?
In reaching a judgement on the appropriate threat level in any given circumstance several
factors need to be taken into account, these include:
Available intelligence
It is rare that specific threat information is available and can be relied upon. More often, judgements about the threat will be based on a wide range of information, which is often fragmentary, including the level and nature of current terrorist activity, comparison with events in other countries and previous attacks. Intelligence is only ever likely to reveal part of the picture.
Terrorist capability
An examination of what is known about the capabilities of the terrorists in question and the method they may use based on previous attacks or from intelligence. This would also analyse the potential scale of the attack.
Terrorist intentions
Using intelligence and publicly available information to examine the overall aims of the terrorists and the ways they may achieve them including what sort of targets they would consider attacking.
Timescale
The threat level expresses the likelihood of an attack in the near term. We know from past incidents that some attacks take years to plan, while others are put together more quickly. In the absence of specific intelligence, a judgement will need to be made about how close an attack might be to fruition. Threat levels do not have any set expiry date, but are regularly subject to review in order to ensure that they remain current.
Who decides threat levels?
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (new window) (JTAC) was created in 2003 as the UK’s centre for the analysis and assessment of international terrorism. JTAC is responsible for setting international terrorism threat levels.
What should the public do?
The public should always remain vigilant regardless of the current national threat level. If you have information about possible terrorist activity you should contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.
The Anti-Terrorist Hotline is for tip offs and confidential information. The public should call 999 if there is an immediate threat to life.
Read Threat Levels: The System to Assess the Threat from International Terrorism in full
