MI5 reveal ‘up to 23,000 jihadis living in Britain’ ahead of Bank Holiday security boost
UP TO 23,000 potential jihadis are reportedly living in Britain as police investigate the sprawling terror network linked to Manchester bomber Salman Abedi.
By FRASER MOORE
Express.co.uk
Sat, May 27, 2017
Security services revealed the figure as they said up to 3,000 would-be terrorists are being investigated as “subjects of interest”.
The announcement, unusual for security agencies such as MI5 and MI6, highlights the difficulties in investigating potential terror threats, according to insiders.
Amid a reported 500 active terror investigations, one security source told the Mail: “It is difficult because becoming aware that someone is an extremist sympathiser does not make them a live and present danger.
“It is a balancing act – is the intelligence sufficient to push them up the list of priorities or should the focus be on someone else given the finite resources available?”
The warning comes as extra police officers and soldiers are deployed to thousands of events across the UK this bank holiday weekend amid heightened terror fears.
Sick terror group Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack that killed 22, has called for “all-out war” against the west as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins.
But police officials have announced beefed-up security at events such as Saturday’s FA cup final, the premiership rugby final and the Great Manchester Run.
And for the first time armed police will patrol Britain’s trains as soldiers guard the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and Buckingham Palace.
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