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UK Syria fighters pose long-term threat - Met officer UK Syria fighters pose long-term threat - Met officer
(35 minutes later)
UK police will have to deal with the threat of British fighters returning from Syria for "many years", a top Scotland Yard officer has told the BBC.UK police will have to deal with the threat of British fighters returning from Syria for "many years", a top Scotland Yard officer has told the BBC.
Met Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick said the conflict represented a "long-term" terrorist threat.Met Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick said the conflict represented a "long-term" terrorist threat.
She said young British Muslims might commit violence on their return.She said young British Muslims might commit violence on their return.
Her comments came after an apparent internet recruitment video for jihadists in Syria and Iraq featured several Britons.Her comments came after an apparent internet recruitment video for jihadists in Syria and Iraq featured several Britons.
The father of aspiring medical student Nasser Muthana, 20, from Cardiff, one of the men in the video, has spoken of his shock. The BBC understands a second man filmed is Nasser's friend Reyaad Khan, also 20 and from Cardiff.The father of aspiring medical student Nasser Muthana, 20, from Cardiff, one of the men in the video, has spoken of his shock. The BBC understands a second man filmed is Nasser's friend Reyaad Khan, also 20 and from Cardiff.
The video was posted by internet accounts linked to militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), which has a presence in Syria and is engaged in fierce fighting with Iraqi government forces.The video was posted by internet accounts linked to militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), which has a presence in Syria and is engaged in fierce fighting with Iraqi government forces.
'Easy jihad' 'Face consequences'
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend, Ms Dick - who is currently head of specialist operations including counter terrorism at the Met - warned Britain would face "the consequences" of the conflict in Syria for years. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend, Ms Dick - who is currently head of specialist operations including counter terrorism at the Met - warned Britain would face "the consequences" of the conflict in Syria "for years to come".
More than 50 people have been arrested in the UK since 2013 for alleged Syria-related offences.More than 50 people have been arrested in the UK since 2013 for alleged Syria-related offences.
But Ms Dick would not be drawn on the extent to which UK police have already had to confront security threats from British jihadists fighting in the Middle East.But Ms Dick would not be drawn on the extent to which UK police have already had to confront security threats from British jihadists fighting in the Middle East.
She said: "I'm afraid I believe that we will be living with the consequences of Syria - from a terrorist point of view, let alone the world, geopolitical consequences - for many, many, many years to come." She said that until a few weeks ago police believed around 460 Britons had gone to fight in Syria, but said the figure could now have climbed to around 500.
Ms Dick said that until a few weeks ago police believed around 460 Britons had gone to fight in Syria, but said the figure could now have climbed to around 500. Former MI6 director of global counter-terrorism Richard Barrett told Sky News's Murnaghan programme that as many as 300 radicalised young men had already returned to the UK.
She said her message to anyone thinking of travelling to Syria or Iraq to join the fighting was not to go, saying Syrian people regarded foreign fighters as a problem not a solution. Meanwhile, retired British army colonel Stephen Thomas said he believed there were "so many radicalised Islamic people in the UK" that the security services could not keep track of them all.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the big question was whether the situation was going to "bounce back here to the UK". BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the big question was whether the situation abroad was going to "bounce back here to the UK".
He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "Although the British government has said 'We're not going to get involved militarily' in Iraq, we are fooling ourselves if we think that we are going to be immune from any backlash.He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "Although the British government has said 'We're not going to get involved militarily' in Iraq, we are fooling ourselves if we think that we are going to be immune from any backlash.
"The West is seen as being all part of one thing by these jihadists... We're all going to get it, if we are seen as being taking sides as combatants.""The West is seen as being all part of one thing by these jihadists... We're all going to get it, if we are seen as being taking sides as combatants."
He said jihadists from the UK made their way to Syria easily via cheap flights to Turkey or Cyprus, what he called "easy jihad". Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox said it would be a mistake for politicians to be reticent to get involved in Iraq because of any threat to the UK.
Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox said it would be a mistake for politicians to be reticent to get involved in Iraq because of "the threat of jihadists coming back to threaten us at home".
"Remember, the West is seen as a single entity. There are those who say 'If we don't get involved, if we hunker down, then we'll be fine, there'll be no backlash'."Remember, the West is seen as a single entity. There are those who say 'If we don't get involved, if we hunker down, then we'll be fine, there'll be no backlash'.
"That is utterly wrong because the jihadists don't hate us because of what we do, they hate us because of who we are.""That is utterly wrong because the jihadists don't hate us because of what we do, they hate us because of who we are."
Mr Fox also said politicians would have to ask whether the security services had enough powers to deal with an increased threat.
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)
Isis grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in IraqIsis grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in Iraq
Nasser's father, Ahmed Muthana, said his son left the UK to fight in Syria in November, telling BBC Wales that his 17-year-old younger son, Aseel, had also travelled to the country.Nasser's father, Ahmed Muthana, said his son left the UK to fight in Syria in November, telling BBC Wales that his 17-year-old younger son, Aseel, had also travelled to the country.
Mr Muthana said he was "heartbroken" Nasser had left the UK to fight in Syria. He said he feared his sons would "come back to me in a coffin".Mr Muthana said he was "heartbroken" Nasser had left the UK to fight in Syria. He said he feared his sons would "come back to me in a coffin".
He described his son - who had been offered places by four universities to study medicine - as quiet, well-educated and intelligent.He described his son - who had been offered places by four universities to study medicine - as quiet, well-educated and intelligent.
He said another man in the video, which cannot be verified, was someone he recognised from Cardiff.He said another man in the video, which cannot be verified, was someone he recognised from Cardiff.
Barak Al Bayaty, a trustee for one of the Cardiff mosques attended by Nasser Muthana, said the Britons might have been radicalised via the internet.
'Potentially vulnerable''Potentially vulnerable'
Alyas Karmani, an imam and independent city councillor in Bradford, said the government should take some responsibility for what was happening. Alyas Karmani, an imam and independent city councillor in Bradford, said the government should take some responsibility for the issue.
He said: "One of the challenges that we have is that we haven't got enough counter messaging out there. He said: "We are not reaching this group of young people who are potentially vulnerable to this radicalisation. And one of the reasons is because a lot of agencies that were providing that counter messaging about two or three years ago had their funding cut by the government."
"We are not reaching this group of young people who are potentially vulnerable to this radicalisation. And one of the reasons is because a lot of agencies that were providing that counter messaging about two or three years ago had their funding cut by the government." Madeleine Moon, Labour MP for Bridgend, said it was not necessarily the case that young British Muslims who had joined the fight in Syria would return and commit acts of violence at home.
Madeleine Moon, the Labour MP for Bridgend, said it was not necessarily the case that young British Muslims who had joined the fight in Syria would return and commit acts of violence at home. Ms Moon, a member of the Commons defence select committee, added that "we have to make sure that we... don't alienate ourselves from the Muslim community".
Ms Moon, who is also a member of the Commons Defence Select Committee, told BBC Radio Wales: "Every politician will say it is inevitable. Because if we say it's not going to happen and it does happen, we were in the wrong.
"But I don't think it is inevitable. Our security forces and our local police have demonstrated their capacity to deal with this. We have to give them our support and we have to make sure that we remain engaged with and don't alienate ourselves from the Muslim community."
South Wales Police said they were "increasingly concerned" about the number of young people travelling to Syria, but the issue was not unique to Cardiff or Wales.South Wales Police said they were "increasingly concerned" about the number of young people travelling to Syria, but the issue was not unique to Cardiff or Wales.
"The advice is to avoid all travel to Syria - anyone who does travel is putting themselves in considerable danger," they said in a statement, warning those who engaged in terror-related activities would be prosecuted."The advice is to avoid all travel to Syria - anyone who does travel is putting themselves in considerable danger," they said in a statement, warning those who engaged in terror-related activities would be prosecuted.
Tracking British jihadists fighting in Syria is now the top priority for the security service, MI5.
Police across the UK have made 65 Syria-related arrests over the last 18 months, including 40 in the first three months of this year.
Meanwhile, an estimated 5,000 young people from across the UK are attending a residential event in Surrey this weekend organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association to rally against radical Islam and pledge their loyalty to Britain.Meanwhile, an estimated 5,000 young people from across the UK are attending a residential event in Surrey this weekend organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association to rally against radical Islam and pledge their loyalty to Britain.
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Isis".Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Isis".