THE public are being warned to be extra vigilant at World Cup events and in crowded places throughout the festive period, as the threat from terrorism remains “very real”.
Authorities say the run up to Christmas is always higher risk when it comes to security threats, although police stressed there is no specific intelligence of a planned attack.
Across the country, as many thousands pack into venues in the days ahead, people are being urged to play their part and report any suspicious activity.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap, counter terror policing’s Senior National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare told GB News: “Sadly the threat from terrorism does remain very real, and it is vital that we have the support of the public, alongside our own operations and activity.
At this time of year, we naturally see more people heading out and about and with the World Cup featuring on the festive calendar this year, we really need people to be on the ball themselves.”
Since 2017, counter terrorism detectives and the intelligence services have disrupted 37 late-stage terrorist plots in the UK.
Across Europe, traditional Christmas markets and other festive events have frequently been targeted by Islamist terrorists.
In recent months, the terror threat level in the UK has been lowered from Severe to Substantial.
That still means “a terror attack is likely” and although groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have been severely degraded by western military activity in recent years, security analysts say they are attempting to regroup.
They have never lost their capacity to radicalise and influence others over the internet.
Every year, counter terror policing receives more than 10,000 reports from the public.
One in five of those reports provides intelligence which investigators describe as “particularly useful.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Millichap said: “The power of public reporting should not be underestimated. It is never a waste of time to speak to us.”
Police said that security patrols in towns and cities right across the country would be stepped up in the days and weeks ahead, to help ensure the public could enjoy the remainder of the World Cup and look forward to a safe festive period.
The story comes day after it emerged World Cup organisers in Qatar have enlisted the help of the RAF to protect against the threat of terrorist attacks over the course of the tournament, which is set to run until mid-December.
Qatar has drafted in extra security measures from 16 nations across the world, including the UK, as part of a comprehensive plan to keep stadiums safe and minimise danger to supporters from potential terrorist events.
The British government is sharing knowledge with Qatar throughout the duration of the World Cup while several RAF Typhoon jets have been earmarked to join their Qatari counterparts on air patrols.
American SWAT teams have also been present in the country since the beginning of the tournament and will likely be in place at the Al Bayt Stadium when England face the USA on Friday evening.
Riot police and sniffer dogs from France and Turkey have also been called in by the decision-makers at the World Cup, with many security forces meeting a month before the tournament began in order to conduct drills and plan out their approach to ensuring maximum protection for match-going fans, team members and journalists alike.
Other countries and regions supplying personnel to Qatar are said to include Germany, Finland, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
