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Isis would use chemical weapons in attack on UK, says minister | Isis would use chemical weapons in attack on UK, says minister |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Islamic State wants to carry out a mass casualty attack in Britain and has “no moral barrier” to using chemical weapons, a minister has said. | Islamic State wants to carry out a mass casualty attack in Britain and has “no moral barrier” to using chemical weapons, a minister has said. |
The security minister Ben Wallace said there were reports of Isis using chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq, where it controls large areas, and that Moroccan authorities had apprehended a cell in February which was harbouring substances that could be used to make either a bomb or a “deadly toxin”. | The security minister Ben Wallace said there were reports of Isis using chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq, where it controls large areas, and that Moroccan authorities had apprehended a cell in February which was harbouring substances that could be used to make either a bomb or a “deadly toxin”. |
He also pointed to a recent Europol report that warned of the chemical threat and the potential realisation of “everybody’s worst fear”. | |
He told the Sunday Times that the group’s ambition was “definitely mass casualty attacks. They want to harm as many people as possible and terrorise as many people as possible. | He told the Sunday Times that the group’s ambition was “definitely mass casualty attacks. They want to harm as many people as possible and terrorise as many people as possible. |
“They have no moral objection to using chemical weapons against populations and if they could, they would in this country. | “They have no moral objection to using chemical weapons against populations and if they could, they would in this country. |
“The casualty figures which could be involved would be everybody’s worst fear. | “The casualty figures which could be involved would be everybody’s worst fear. |
“We have certainly seen reports of them using it in Syria and Iraq [and] we have certainly seen aspiration for it in Europe.” | “We have certainly seen reports of them using it in Syria and Iraq [and] we have certainly seen aspiration for it in Europe.” |
Wallace also warned about the threat from terror groups, Russia and cyber-attackers trying to plant people in the government, the military and leading businesses. | |
“There are traitors. We have to be on our guard for the enemy within,” he said. | “There are traitors. We have to be on our guard for the enemy within,” he said. |
“The insider threat, as we would call it, is real and it can be exploited and there are people trying to do that as we speak.” | “The insider threat, as we would call it, is real and it can be exploited and there are people trying to do that as we speak.” |
THis comment comes after a year in which Europe suffered a spate of terror attacks using less sophisticated means. | |
In two of the most high-profile attacks in Nice and Berlin, lone attackers drove lorries through crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day and browsing a Christmas market. In March, three coordinated suicide bombers attacked the airport and metro system in Brussels. | |
Isis claimed responsibility for all three atrocities. |
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