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| UK terrorism arrests hit record high | |
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| A record number of terrorism arrests were made in the past year, according to official figures, surpassing the previous peak following the 7 July London bombings. | |
| There were 299 arrests for terrorism-related offences in the 12 months to March 2015, a rise of 31% compared on the previous year and the highest number since data collection began in September 2001, Home Office data revealed. Of the 299 people arrested, 118 were charged with an offence. | |
| Within the period, a record number of women arrested for such offences was recorded at 35; the number of 18- to 20-year-olds arrested more than doubled, from 20 to 43 arrests. | |
| There was also a rise in the number of suspects held for more than seven days. About 21 people arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act – which allows the police to arrest and detain a person without charge for up to 48 hours and apply extended custody – were detained for more than a week, compared with just one person in the previous period. Of those arrested, 15 were charged. | |
| The increase came after the official threat level was raised in August from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. | The increase came after the official threat level was raised in August from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. |
| The threat level was heightened as hundreds of so-called foreign fighters were being lured to Iraq and Syria to fight with Islamic State. Police and security services now believe at least 700 potential extremists from the UK have travelled to Syria, with about half thought to have returned to Britain. | The threat level was heightened as hundreds of so-called foreign fighters were being lured to Iraq and Syria to fight with Islamic State. Police and security services now believe at least 700 potential extremists from the UK have travelled to Syria, with about half thought to have returned to Britain. |
| Home Office officials said the increase in arrests in the most recent period was driven by a spike of 106 arrests between October and December last year. This compares with 67 arrests between January and March. | |
| The previous high of 284 arrests was recorded in the year to March 2006, covering the London bomb attacks in 2005, in which 52 people were killed and more than 700 were injured. | The previous high of 284 arrests was recorded in the year to March 2006, covering the London bomb attacks in 2005, in which 52 people were killed and more than 700 were injured. |
| It is likely that the rate of terrorism arrests has risen further since the period covered by the statistics. Last month, Mark Rowley, the country’s leading counter-terrorism officer, disclosed that suspects were now being held at a rate of more than one a day. | |
| Among those arrested, 78% considered themselves British or dual-British nationality, compared with only 52% of suspects in the year ending March 2011. | Among those arrested, 78% considered themselves British or dual-British nationality, compared with only 52% of suspects in the year ending March 2011. |
| The batch of figures also show there were nearly 32,000 searches carried out using the controversial Schedule 7 powers under the Terrorism Act, which allows police officers to detain without reasonable cause for suspicion. However, this was a fall of 28% on the previous year. The legislation was used to detain David Miranda, the partner of the former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, for nine hours at Heathrow in August 2013. | The batch of figures also show there were nearly 32,000 searches carried out using the controversial Schedule 7 powers under the Terrorism Act, which allows police officers to detain without reasonable cause for suspicion. However, this was a fall of 28% on the previous year. The legislation was used to detain David Miranda, the partner of the former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, for nine hours at Heathrow in August 2013. |
| Charlie Winter, senior researcher at counter-extremism thinktank Qulliam, said: “These figures and the significant rises are to be expected given the fact that Islamic State is presenting an unprecedented situation. We’ve a threat that’s greater than it has been but also more closely scrutinised than it has been. | |
| “The security services are seeking to keep on top of the threat that individuals could present to the UK. These figures could be indicative that they’re being more cautious than they would have been. | “The security services are seeking to keep on top of the threat that individuals could present to the UK. These figures could be indicative that they’re being more cautious than they would have been. |
| “Islamic State does call for attacks that are not high level operations but can happen at a grassroots level. Rather than stopping a plot that is on the cusp of being carried out, arrests are being made earlier in the process.” | “Islamic State does call for attacks that are not high level operations but can happen at a grassroots level. Rather than stopping a plot that is on the cusp of being carried out, arrests are being made earlier in the process.” |