News and publications

See other news stories

Home Secretary gives major counter-terrorism speech

17 January 2008

She calls for the nation to challenge the ideology of violent extremism.

Speaking in London at the first International Conference on Radicalisation and Political Violence, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith called terrorism 'a crime that doesn't discriminate.'

A growing threat

In a wide-ranging speech, she set out the government's plans to respond to terror groups trained abroad who spread their messages of hate and rage to vulnerable youths on the internet.

She pointed out that the Security Service estimated that the number of people in the UK believed to be operating terrorists actually increased in 2007 from 1,600 to 2,000.

While some of that increase reflects the work done by police and counter-terrorism agents to identify those who pose a risk to society, some was undoubtedly down to increased recruitment by terror groups.

Last year alone, 42 people were convicted for terrorist offences relating to 16 known operations. Half of them pleaded guilty.

At this moment, there are five major terrorism trials underway in courts around the UK.

'These figures show that the threat is real and serious,' she said. 'And let me be clear - such terrorist outrages are crimes, first and foremost.

'First and foremost, terrorists are criminals.'

Changing the law to help police

In order to ensure that crimes of terror are prevented, and that those who attempt to commit those acts go to prison, the government has substantially increased funding for police and counter-terrorism.

To ensure that police and security services have the powers they need to fight back against the threat of terrorism, the government will soon introduce a counter-terrorism bill that gives them new legal rights.

Included in that act will be new or expanded powers related to:

gathering and sharing information about terrorist suspects
post-charge questioning of suspects
tougher sentencing for offences tied in to terrorism
the seizure and forfeiture of terrorist cash, property and other assets

Approach will be widespread

The government intends to challenge the ideology of violent extremism behind the acts of terrorism. And whatever the outcome of the debate, the government's approach to dealing with terrorism will be widespread.

Already governmental agencies are working closely with Muslim groups, with anti-extremism counsellors in prisons, and with schools in at-risk neighbourhoods, giving them tools and training for dealing with extremism.

They are also working closely with the internet technology industry - as they have on issues like paedophilia - to identify how and where terrorist recruiters are working online to groom young people as future terrorists.

Obviously Muslim communities are most at risk when the propagandists of violent extremism spread their messages of violence, so there is a critical role in the government's efforts for Muslim organisations, institutions and civic groups.

Already, many Muslim groups are engaged in the effort, and the Home Secretary credited them with many unsung achievements so far, 'often done without a fanfare of publicity, but with quiet determination and great conviction.'

'The threat is real,' she said. 'The threat is live. But we must keep that firmly in perspective - it comes from a very small minority of people. The great majority of us, who share common values and principles, find the murder of innocent people abhorrent.'

Read the full speech

Download and read the prepared text of the Home Secretary's speech.

Go to navigation