Government Unveils New Anti-Terror Strategy

A new strategy for countering international terrorism has been announced by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today.

Shopping centre and store managers will be among the 60,000 workers trained to deal with terrorist threats.

The report - known as Contest Two - has said the threat from extremists was ever-present, and has revealed a series of threats were successfully thwarted.

"We've been successful in countering terror," Mrs Smith said. "We've foiled more than a dozen plots. For example, we've brought more than 200 people to justice before our courts. We need to keep thinking about the way the threat is developing and we need to keep evolving the way which we are dealing with that."

The new strategy retains the framework of the old - four main areas of work entitled Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare.

But each of these areas has been updated and the document provides much more detail about specific objectives and programmes.

The new anti-terror strategy warns that biological, chemical and radiological nuclear weapons could possibly fall into terrorist hands.

"Changing technology and the theft and smuggling of chemical, biological and nuclear and explosive materials make this aspiration more realistic than it may have been in the recent past," the report said.

The revised strategy contains separate entries covering specific subjects of interest. They include terrorist finance, conflict reduction, cross-Government work in Afghanistan/Pakistan, work on connection with terrorism and the internet and counter terrorism related communications.

It also sets out the roles for the many Government departments now engaged in this area and for local and regional government. It identifies future scientific and technical priorities and sets out the basis for closer work with the private sector.

The document outlines an international response to the threat, describing in each area the international work the Government will be undertaking to support domestic programmes.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Protecting the public is my key objective and the aim of the Government's new counter terrorism strategy is to reduce the risk of terrorism to allow people to go about their lives freely and with confidence.

"The UK has one of the most comprehensive and wide ranging approaches to tackling terrorism in the world and we have updated our Contest strategy to take account of the evolving threat, the lessons we have learned and the new challenges we face."

(JM/BMcC)