Thread: UK police on highest ever terror alert after Belgian arrests

Threat against police raised to severe – fourth highest of five levels – and patrols of Jewish communities to be stepped up


Police across Britain have been put on high alert and warned that they may be targeted in terror attacks following the foiled assault on officers in Belgium this week by Islamists with links to Syria.

The threat against police has been raised to severe, the highest level yet, with police chiefs considering the more widespread deployment of Taser stun guns as an additional security measure.

Police patrols of Jewish communities in Britain are also to be stepped up amid “heightened concern” about the risk of an attack following the Paris atrocity, Britain’s top counter-terror officer said. Extra security measures will be taken at Jewish schools.

In Washington, where he was discussing the terror threat with the US president, Barack Obama, David Cameron said it was important to learn the lessons of the past 10 days.

“The government has a very strong relationship with the Jewish community; it talks to them regularly about these issues. We have to be incredibly vigilant and look at all of these risks, particularly risks to police officers themselves, and take every action that we can.”

A further 15 arrests were made across Belgium after two men were left dead following a shootout on Thursday in Verviers. Officials said among items recovered from raids were police uniforms and radios – suggesting a sophisticated level of planning and determination to kill police.

The threat of officers being targeted by a terrorist in Britain was raised to substantial in October, and on Friday was elevated further to severe, meaning an attack on a police officer is highly likely. It is the fourth highest of five levels and follows an assessment by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre based within MI5.

The plans to more widely deploy Tasers, which deliver electric shocks, are at an early stage but could see more officers trained to use the weapons out on patrol. British police are mostly unarmed, unlike colleagues in France and Belgium, and firearms are comparatively rare on Britain’s streets. It is thought terrorists would be more likely to use knives or machetes to attack an officer, rather than guns, in a rerun of the gruesome attack on soldier Lee Rigby in May 2013 near his barracks in Woolwich, south London.

One source said: “We are at the maximum point of awareness before something happens.”

Other measures open to police chiefs in the 44 forces that patrol the streets across England and Wales include many more officers going out in pairs, or “proximity” patrols, where colleagues are never out of sight of each other.

Last weekend, Islamic State propaganda renewed a call for followers to attack the police. New York City police have already issued urgent safety advice to officers to watch the hands of anyone approaching them, and other measures.

The alert to police in Britain was announced by the national policing lead for counter-terrorism, assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, who said: “We are also considering what further measures we might put in place to enhance the security of police officers, given some of the deliberate targeting of the police we have seen in a number of countries across Europe and the world. Chief constables across the country are reviewing how to strengthen the protection of their officers from such attacks.”

Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “The level of extreme terrorism we are facing on an international scale cannot be underestimated and the police service and its security partners are doing all they can.

“Police officers face life-threatening risks on a daily basis and are prepared to do so fully aware of the risks involved. As a service we are regularly assessing what we do in order to adapt to the changing and challenging issues we face.”



Jewish communities across Britain have already increased their own patrols amid high levels of anxiety. Posters advertising a Holocaust memorial event in east London were daubed with graffiti including the words “liars” and “killers”.

The Metropolitan police said the incidents, which took place in Stratford, were being listed as a hate crime and officers in Newham were investigating.


UK police on highest ever terror alert after Belgian arrests | UK news | The Guardian

This may sound like a very stupid question, but I have not been in Europe for many years so bear with me. Plus, I'm a Yank.

If you are a passport holder from one European country, say Germany, can you travel to say England, Spain or Italy with no or little document check?

Protecting the vested interest of the Anglo-American machine.

^Huh?

^ Unless the security services are cooperating, yes.

Security level must be up to "Good Lord!" by now.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

This may sound like a very stupid question, but I have not been in Europe for many years so bear with me. Plus, I'm a Yank.

If you are a passport holder from one European country, say Germany, can you travel to say England, Spain or Italy with no or little document check?

Pretty much. Passport and social security number for visa free travel and right to work, live etc.

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

it is if you are an unemployed muslim with three wives, 9 kids and jihadist intentions.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

We're lucky they don't.

Originally Posted by taxexile

it is if you are an unemployed muslim with three wives, 9 kids and starting to get suicidal.

Fixed it ....

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

Depends on their status in France I suppose.

If they have a French passport then they (technically) can move freely into other EU countries.

Not sure how Adbul Rachmann Mohammed Aziz would fare getting through airport security at the moment though.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

Reality would suggest the continued colonial systems has only one directive.

^ Fuck off Jeff

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

Reality would suggest the continued colonial systems has only one directive.

Booting up my enigma machine to decipher this.

^Do Post #3 while you're at it....

Originally Posted by alwarner

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^So if France decides to admit most of North Africa, then they are free to just wander about the rest of Europe? Doesn't sound like a great system.

Reality would suggest the continued colonial systems has only one directive.

Booting up my enigma machine to decipher this.

It's about the best one Jeff's come up with yet.

Has germany had a TERROR alert yet? They need to get one soon, a long with the scando countries. We will need a good terror alert; you know, one where there is no evidence, no eventual prosecution (because there never is), in fact nothing to support the MEDIA splash TERROR alert.

Holland also - they need a serve as well. I wonder which country will have the attack next time? The big proper one?

But, But- we thought we were your allies, fighting the 'evil' Assad regime. Then you came and bombed my fellow 'liberationists', my friends. You never stopped us from going, never even asked or encouraged us not to.
I'm afraid there will be willing recruits intent on 'revenge'. But what a foreign policy stuff-up, I reckon this even exceeds the invasion of Iraq in it's sheer stupidity and hypocricy. As ye reap.

Official: Greek Police Detain 4 Suspected Terrorists
ATHENS, Greece — Jan 17, 2015, 3:31 PM ET

Widening a European counterterrorism dragnet, Greek authorities on Saturday detained four terrorism suspects including a man believed to be the ringleader of a Belgian jihadi cell.

A Greek police official said the four were arrested separately in Athens and included a man who matches the description of Abdelhamid Abaaoud — who Belgian authorities suspect was behind a jihadi cell that was dismantled in Belgium on Thursday.

Authorities in Belgium were going over photos, fingerprints and DNA material sent from Greek police to try to verify whether the person was Abaaoud, said Greek and Belgian officials, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of an ongoing investigation.

Greek officials initially thought Abaaoud was in Turkey, but the detained man's name, as well as the cellphone found on him matches descriptions that Greek police received from Belgium, the Greek official said.
Official: Greek Police Detain 4 Suspected Terrorists - ABC News

Good oh! Greece getting in on the action as well. Well done Greece. Like that it has coupled up with Belgium as well; two terror headlines for the price of one! Still waiting for the Cloggies to get in on the action and the scando countries as well.

However, the Netherlands said it was not raising its terror threat level, currently at "substantial," the second-highest level -- where it has been since March 2013.

"That means there is a realistic threat, but no concrete or specific information of an attack in the Netherlands," said Edmond Messchaert, a government spokesman.

Security boosted as Europe scrambles to handle growing threats - CNN.com

It is interesting to those who are not slurping up the drip fed BS from CNN, Fox, BBC etc that the only increase in actual / real attacks in Europe has been against...wait for it...muslims living in the west. The media would have you believe something completely different with the Belgium Army marching the streets (only certain types of streets of course).

Oohhh terror.