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Britain is at a greater threat from terror attack now than it was at the time of 7/7

Britain is at a greater threat from terror attack now than it was at the time of the 7/7 bombings a decade ago, according to an expert from a leading UK security think-tank.

The national terror threat level was not public knowledge at the time of the attacks, when British youths killed 52 and injured more than 700 by detonating four bombs across London’s transport network.

With the level now standing at “severe”, meaning an attack is “highly likely”, experts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said the threat had only grown in the past decade.

Margaret Gilmore, a senior associate fellow specialising in national security at RUSI and a former BBC home affairs correspondent at the time of the attack, said that the rise of Isis and the ongoing threat of al-Qaeda made the dangers of a terror attack on home soil “more intense”.

A 'more diverse' threat

The threat is greater than 10 years ago because it is more diverse,” she told The Independent. “Solitary Islamic extremists, urged on through the rhetoric of terrorist groups abroad and published on the internet, have become increasingly confident in carrying out acts of violence in their home countries with very little support or financial back-up.


Ms Gilmore said:
Isis has emerged as an organised, powerful and barbaric group which has developed the ability to lure support among extremists from across the globe.

But other groups including al-Qaeda still harbour the will to carry out large scale bomb attacks in countries like the UK and US, organised by their leadership. And a host of other terrorist groups with similar ideologies have taken a grip where there are failing states or areas of lawlessness like Somalia and parts of Nigeria.


How has UK reacted?

Dr Afzal Ashraf, a consultant fellow at the RUSI, said the way the UK terror threat has changed made it “very difficult to compare” to a decade ago.

The 7/7 bombings were the first and only time the whole of the London Underground was shut down for 24 hours or more. From communications systems not working below the surface, to basic issues processing mobile phone footage and input from the public, the unprecedented incident threw up a range of modern problems for the police.

Last week, British security forces responded to the Tunisia hotel attack by holding two days of large-scale training exercises in London, focussing on what might happen if a lone gunman or bomber targeted the UK.

And for Dr Ashraf, the changes since 7/7 mean “there’s no doubt that our security services and our police are very much better prepared than they were 10 years ago”.

Lone actor attacks are certainly the most likely threat that we face because the larger the group, the easier it is to detect,
he said.

But the security services also understand this threat a great deal more than they did in the past. They have better early-warning mechanisms and much more sound responses, and there has been a deliberate attempt to understand, evaluate and prepare for [potential attacks] through training.


What happens if there is an attack?

Part of the purpose of last week’s drills, Dr Ashraf said, was to learn how Britain’s plans for dealing with a terror incident are applied.

In terms of the parts we were able to see, it was very well stage-managed and obviously that was just a small aspect of it since you don’t want to give the terrorists an idea of how we may respond to an attack,
he said.

The former senior RAF officer said the security services would have practised in the event of a range of different types of attack, including bombings like 7/7 and “marauding” assailants like in Tunisia.

The measures are definitely in place, and I’m pretty confident that it is something that people are prepared for and will react very swiftly should anything happen,
Dr Ashraf said.

In the event of an attack, key terror targets in London like Downing Street, the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace or Canary Wharf were all prepared for what to do, the experts said.

There are very well-rehearsed evacuation plans,
according to Ms Gilmore.
Even two weeks after 7/7 I was with the BBC covering copycat attacks in Shepherds Bush, and evacuation happened so fast. We were pushed right back, and within half an hour it was a very extensive area cleared.


Individual buildings and businesses have their own emergency contingencies, she said, while there are allocated safe places to put groups like Cobra and other government ministers.

We don’t know exactly, but there are underground safe places [in the City] and plans to move outside the capital if need be,” she said. “In the highly unlikely case of a really big attack, all plans are different but MI5, for example, has a very highly-fortified headquarters in Northern Ireland that they could decamp to if necessary.


Ms Gilmore said that while memorial services to mark the anniversary of 7/7 itself would be a high-profile target for groups like Isis, a major attack seemed unlikely.

I think there will be more security in London than on a normal day, and the listening agencies with be working with a greater intensity,” she said. “But while they took place some six years later, the inquests into the 52 people murdered 10 years ago exposed some of the failings of the emergency response. The UK’s ability to respond to terrorist attacks has improved significantly since 7/7.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/77-bombing-anniversary-live-10-years-on-is-britain-now-at-greater-threat-of-a-terror-attack-10370207.html

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I've always said it's only a matter of time before they are successful again

but it's not for a wont of trying
We sell arms to dangerous countries, have countless 'moments silences' and ostracise members of our communities and live constantly with hatred for others... did you expect things to get better since then? When i say the government not only don't care, but actually want to see the attacks as they will further lead to the being able to profit from conflict, its not a conspiracy, its factual... things will only get worse and worse and if you're not rich, you will NOT be fine as things progress.
Original post by harry734
We sell arms to dangerous countries, have countless 'moments silences' and ostracise members of our communities and live constantly with hatred for others... did you expect things to get better since then? When i say the government not only don't care, but actually want to see the attacks as they will further lead to the being able to profit from conflict, its not a conspiracy, its factual... things will only get worse and worse and if you're not rich, you will NOT be fine as things progress.


this is just paranoid rubbish
Original post by the bear
this is just paranoid rubbish
I know thinking that gives you comfort, but its time people realise whats happening, When we live in a state of panic and worry about muslims and create an image of them as our enemies (like most brits already do), people will feel happy when we send troops to take over muslim land, killing innocents, but getting oil. Obviously we won't be told this but its true. The rich will get more oil, the same people who fund the tory government and are actually friends with the Bullingdon boys. Right wing media tycoons like Murdoch have vested interest in oil and so he creates the propaganda to scare people. Ask yourself why the government are doing nothing to try and create peace between the west and muslim countries? We don't seem to care about the saudi's who do the same things as ISIS, why is that?
Original post by harry734
I know thinking that gives you comfort, but its time people realise whats happening, When we live in a state of panic and worry about muslims and create an image of them as our enemies (like most brits already do), people will feel happy when we send troops to take over muslim land, killing innocents, but getting oil. Obviously we won't be told this but its true. The rich will get more oil, the same people who fund the tory government and are actually friends with the Bullingdon boys. Right wing media tycoons like Murdoch have vested interest in oil and so he creates the propaganda to scare people. Ask yourself why the government are doing nothing to try and create peace between the west and muslim countries? We don't seem to care about the saudi's who do the same things as ISIS, why is that?


obviously it does because i am a sheep
Original post by the bear
obviously it does because i am a sheep
No good points to make in response i see...
Original post by harry734
No good points to make in response i see...


obviously not... i am a sheep and lack the special insights granted to the selected ones.
Reply 8
Last week's drills were not in a response to Tunisia, they had been 6 months in the planning.
Original post by the bear
obviously not... i am a sheep and lack the special insights granted to the selected ones.
I know you think doing this makes you think you look clever but it really doesn't mate
Original post by harry734
I know you think doing this makes you think you look clever but it really doesn't mate


i am a sheep so by definition can never match the chosen ones... pal
Original post by harry734
I know thinking that gives you comfort, but its time people realise whats happening, When we live in a state of panic and worry about muslims and create an image of them as our enemies (like most brits already do), people will feel happy when we send troops to take over muslim land, killing innocents, but getting oil. Obviously we won't be told this but its true. The rich will get more oil, the same people who fund the tory government and are actually friends with the Bullingdon boys. Right wing media tycoons like Murdoch have vested interest in oil and so he creates the propaganda to scare people. Ask yourself why the government are doing nothing to try and create peace between the west and muslim countries? We don't seem to care about the saudi's who do the same things as ISIS, why is that?


we do not create any such iamge, the islamic world has been at war with anyone that comes in contact with it, long before the uk. We as the Uk are only paying attnetion to the problem now becuase it has ended up on our doorstep - but we largely ignored it when islamists were murdering in various other parts of the world ( to our shame). look at almost every continent on the planet where there is a significant muslim population- youll see most of their major cities have had to deal with the virus of islamically inspired nutcases commiting attrocities. this issue extends beyond the west, to the east in aisa, the communist world in russia and china and even the poorest areas of africa. whereever islam has settled it has caused rpoblem, for anybody living there- that is the stark reality that it seems ppl like yourslef dont want to accept- just play the foil hat conspiracy game. whatever wars we personally do or do not conduct, islamic zealots will be commiting attrocites anyway - they have done for over 1300 years - learn your history
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Reformed
we do not create any such iamge, the islamic world has been at war with anyone that comes in contact with it, long before the uk. look at almost every continent on the planet where there is a significant muslim population- youll see most of their major cities have had to deal with the virus of islamically inspired nutcases commiting attrocities. this issue extends beyond the west, to the east in aisa, the communist world in russia and china and even the poorest areas of africa. whereever islam has settled it has caused rpoblem, for anybody living there- that is the stark reality that it seems ppl like yourslef dont want to accept- just play the foil hat conspiracy game. whatever wars we personally do or do not conduct, islamic zealots will be commiting attrocites anyway - they have done for over 1300 years - learn your history
yeah and other religions have done nothing of the sort have they? its not just specific to islam and i can't be bothered looking up whatever you're saying because what happened thousands of years ago is of no interest to me, I'm talking about they way people are reacting to the attacks on our streets and trying to explain that in order to stop them, we need to leave the government out of it, because they benefit from it in many ways, including profit.
Original post by harry734
yeah and other religions have done nothing of the sort have they? its not just specific to islam and i can't be bothered looking up whatever you're saying because what happened thousands of years ago is of no interest to me, I'm talking about they way people are reacting to the attacks on our streets and trying to explain that in order to stop them, we need to leave the government out of it, because they benefit from it in many ways, including profit.


we are talking about islam and muslims are we not? apart from the political matters were are talking of, islam itself has been a detrimental influence on muslims in the uk to be able to integrate into civilised society or at least to the morality of a western society that their parents fought tooth and nail to migrate to ( and indeed millions of muslims are still trying to today)
if you read a little history of islam, then youd perhaps understand a little of the mentality of your basic islamic terrorist and why they do what they do , instead of trying to preach from a position of ignorance.
and you can also look at the present situation and i could reel off 20 countries which have had issues caused by islamic groups - so does your theory about a UK Bullingdon club also apply to all these cases too?
Finally if the UK givernemnt 'profits' then so does the uk people, and indeed the uk muslims that claim benefit from the government. the uk has not financially benefitted form iraq or afgan wars, it has spent hundreds of billions by putting troops ont he ground. it could have , for example save 80% of that simply by bombing the crap out of iraq with cluster bombs to eradicate saddam, but it chose not to.
Original post by harry734
I know thinking that gives you comfort, but its time people realise whats happening, When we live in a state of panic and worry about muslims and create an image of them as our enemies (like most brits already do), people will feel happy when we send troops to take over muslim land, killing innocents, but getting oil. Obviously we won't be told this but its true. The rich will get more oil, the same people who fund the tory government and are actually friends with the Bullingdon boys. Right wing media tycoons like Murdoch have vested interest in oil and so he creates the propaganda to scare people. Ask yourself why the government are doing nothing to try and create peace between the west and muslim countries? We don't seem to care about the saudi's who do the same things as ISIS, why is that?


But it does.


Every time there is a terrorist plot or an IS massacre, every single mainstream politician comes out and says 'Islam is a peaceful religion, these terrorists are a tiny minority who do not represent Islam'


The Western world has gone out of its way to fully accommodate Islam and to create an inclusive world, compare what Europe and America is like with how the Russians and the Chinese are and then you will learn not to bite the hand which feeds you.
Reply 15
Original post by harry734
We sell arms to dangerous countries, have countless 'moments silences' and ostracise members of our communities and live constantly with hatred for others... did you expect things to get better since then? When i say the government not only don't care, but actually want to see the attacks as they will further lead to the being able to profit from conflict, its not a conspiracy, its factual... things will only get worse and worse and if you're not rich, you will NOT be fine as things progress.


The government does not profit from conflict. The government does not profit from terrorist attacks that damage tourism and investment. The government does not profit from the hundreds of millions spent on security and intelligence.
Original post by Reformed
we are talking about islam and muslims are we not? apart from the political matters were are talking of, islam itself has been a detrimental influence on muslims in the uk to be able to integrate into civilised society or at least to the morality of a western society that their parents fought tooth and nail to migrate to ( and indeed millions of muslims are still trying to today)
if you read a little history of islam, then youd perhaps understand a little of the mentality of your basic islamic terrorist and why they do what they do , instead of trying to preach from a position of ignorance.
and you can also look at the present situation and i could reel off 20 countries which have had issues caused by islamic groups - so does your theory about a UK Bullingdon club also apply to all these cases too?
Finally if the UK givernemnt 'profits' then so does the uk people, and indeed the uk muslims that claim benefit from the government. the uk has not financially benefitted form iraq or afgan wars, it has spent hundreds of billions by putting troops ont he ground. it could have , for example save 80% of that simply by bombing the crap out of iraq with cluster bombs to eradicate saddam, but it chose not to.


Original post by yo radical one
But it does.


Every time there is a terrorist plot or an IS massacre, every single mainstream politician comes out and says 'Islam is a peaceful religion, these terrorists are a tiny minority who do not represent Islam'


The Western world has gone out of its way to fully accommodate Islam and to create an inclusive world, compare what Europe and America is like with how the Russians and the Chinese are and then you will learn not to bite the hand which feeds you.


Original post by Aj12
The government does not profit from conflict. The government does not profit from terrorist attacks that damage tourism and investment. The government does not profit from the hundreds of millions spent on security and intelligence.
Cant any of you read? the UK government is funded by the people who profit, they just want to be in power so they do what the people who fund them want them to do. Politicians saying 'islam is peaceful' is useless because they do nothing to try and actually make people feel this way, they just mutter a few words and people then pick up the sun who say that the Pm needs to be politically correct etc. which fuels it even more, and to the first guy my point about other religions show that the fact that islamic extremism has only become a huge problem in the last decade or so shows that there must be other factors at play and not just because of the violence in religion for the past 100 years, you all need to do some non biased research i think
Original post by harry734
, and to the first guy my point about other religions show that the fact that islamic extremism has only become a huge problem in the last decade or so shows that there must be other factors at play and not just because of the violence in religion for the past 100 years, you all need to do some non biased research i think


i presume youre referring to me - you are showing your massive ignorance on this topic - islamic extremism is not a problem of last 10 years. it is a problem of last 90 years -long before any western backed war. The shia sunni murdering in islam is 1300 years old - again long before the West even existed - the fact is it is now hot topic in the west so ppl think this has been around 10 years or so. but it has existed outside the West for decades before, islamic terrorism is a global problem always has been, not a western one. perhaps we should have attacked islamists 25 years ago instead of funding them in order to wind up the Russians.
Original post by Drewski
Last week's drills were not in a response to Tunisia, they had been 6 months in the planning.


Yeah that's not surprising it takes a while to set-up for oil extraction, including the drills as you mentioned.
Original post by Reformed
i presume youre referring to me - you are showing your massive ignorance on this topic - islamic extremism is not a problem of last 10 years. it is a problem of last 90 years -long before any western backed war. The shia sunni murdering in islam is 1300 years old - again long before the West even existed - the fact is it is now hot topic in the west so ppl think this has been around 10 years or so. but it has existed outside the West for decades before, islamic terrorism is a global problem always has been, not a western one. perhaps we should have attacked islamists 25 years ago instead of funding them in order to wind up the Russians.
So why is it a problem of recent then? coincidently around the time of the iraq war when tony blair and his colleagues made millions...

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