Posted on 08/01/2006 6:42:49 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Britain says faces terrorist threat
By Gideon Long
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain launched a new security alert system on Tuesday, ranking the terrorist threat to the country as "severe" and saying an attack was highly likely.
It was the first time the government had published such information. Until now, it has argued that doing so would cause unnecessary alarm.
But faced with growing criticism that it was failing to spell out the threat from groups like al Qaeda, the government has decided to follow the lead of other countries and introduce a graded alert system.
It has five levels ranging from "low" (attack unlikely) to "critical" (attack expected imminently), and is similar to the one used in the United States for the past four years, although, unlike the U.S. model, it is not color-coded.
"Severe" is the second highest level.
The threat level was posted on a new Web site -- www.intelligence.gov.uk -- and on the Home Office (interior ministry) and security service sites.
Analysts say the decision to publish is part of a concerted effort -- not only by the government but also by the two security services MI5 and MI6 -- to be seen as more accountable.
"I don't think it'll have a massive impact on the public but I do think it might help government, the security services and the police have a clearer idea of where they all stand in their assessment of the threat faced," said Chris Pope, intelligence analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
"It might also mean the authorities are less likely to be criticized when things go wrong."
Until now, Britain operated a more complex 7-level system and never told the public what the level was.
The government was heavily criticized for having downgraded the threat level in May 2005, just two months before suicide bombers killed 52 people in London.
However, a parliamentary committee later concluded the downgrade had not meant Britain was any less able to deal with the bombings when they happened.
For decades, Britain's intelligence services have enjoyed -- many would say actively nurtured -- a reputation for extreme secrecy. Countless James Bond movies and spy novels have helped cement that reputation in the popular imagination.
But in recent years, both services have started to emerge from the shadows, launching their own Web sites and even advertising in national newspapers for new recruits.
All of which suggests that
that Britain's Home Office
is most certainly employing
"discovery" tactics re cell phone
and internet communications, for
which the Bush Administration
has been vilified by the ACLU
and the Liberal Left.
British people and Islam just aren't programmed to get along that's why, what sickens me in the UK is that rather than confront issues head on everyone in authority has gone soft and would rather roll over and surrender to this Islamic filth. If we tackle it here now while the muslim are 3% of pop we'll win but if we leave it till another 10 years time the muslim population would have grown significantly more which we'll really put us on the back foot!! The clock keeps ticking!!
But they are so obvious in their bias that it hardly matters anymore. The only ones tuning in are those seeking validation of their political beliefs.
you are correct, and a Britain without the BBC would be a much better Britain.
I believe without the BBC; Britain would be 'safer' as well.
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