The issues of rogue Imams, foreign funded domestic mosques and their links with the incitement of hatred or violence in all European states have been central in intellectual debates after the London and Madrid bombing. Several rogue Imams reacted vehemently. In Britain, for the integration of communities, several good steps have been taken while many counterterrorism strategies, effective policing plans and social cohesion policies played vital role in bringing communities to a close. These and other counterterrorism legislations saved thousands young Britons associated with the networks of extremist and terrorist groups.
War in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and the re-emergence of violent extremist networks in South, South East Asia and Africa badly affected the peaceful environment of Europe and the United Kingdom. The presence of strong financial networks of war criminals and sectarian mafia groups, their links with extremist groups in their countries of origin is matter of great concern.
In these circumstances, terrorism will continue to be a threat confronting governments. As the wars enter a crucial phase in Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Middle East, the nature and tactics of terrorism shift. One of the biggest threats to Britain's National security now comes from the networks of homegrown extremist organizations.
A wide range of non-state actors like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Salafi, Wahabi, al-Shabab, and Boko Haram recruit young people for jihad and send them to Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria, Kashmir and Pakistan. The UK-based threat is not limited to the country; a number of British extremists have been convicted in Asia and Africa. Some were recently killed by US Drones in Pakistan's tribal region.
They represent serious threat to the UK national security. Unemployment, the presence of Asian, African and European mafia groups, organized criminal networks, drug trafficking and addiction, poverty, and the Arab Spring can introduce more young people into the battlefield. As we hear from newspaper stories, a generation of British citizens is being sent to the Arab Spring countries such as Libya, Egypt and Yemen to receive the training of modern technology. DG MI5 recently warned that jihadists are being brainwashed in states where terrorism has taken hold.
In July 2012, Jonathan Evan warned about the new tactics of IRA and revealed about the existence of some terrorist groups and their possible attacks. Mr. Jonathan Evan has a vast experience in countering extremism and terrorism in the UK. No doubt, Jonathan Evan's predictions are based on his vast experience and research, but the recent development in Northern Ireland is quite different from the perception that sectarian terrorism and extremist has been defeated.
On July 26, 2012, Guardian reported the merger of three main dissident republican terror groups in Northern Ireland. This is a new and an irksome development after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Security experts are much anxious about this new development in a sensitive time as the UK security agencies are dealing with Olympics security. As Mr. Jonathan Evan has already warned about the terror attacks, the new terror organization is planning to intensify terror attacks on the security forces and law enforcement agencies.
Britons have already experienced the fatalities of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in parts of Northern Ireland. Terrorists targeted security forces, police and public properties, but according to their recent warning, they will target police stations, regional headquarters of Ulster Bank and government properties. Guardian reported the statement of new IRA saying: "Irish people have been sold a phoney peace, rubber-stamped by token legislature in Stormont."
Security in Britain airports, rail tracks and public transport is matter of concern for the government as thousands of people from around the world entered the country attending Olympic Games. To prevent terror attacks or the entrance of terrorist into Britain, the UK Border Agency is playing important role, but recent news reports about the controversial role of the UKBA created suspicion in the heart and mind of a common citizen about the security of the country.
The agency is working within the legal frame work of Home Office but sometimes its serious blunders cause irksome. Home Office is the UK's strongest institution and performs on various directions and lines successfully. Headed by Home Secretary and five other Ministers, Home Office is considered to be UK's brilliant institution that directs many offices and agencies on various national security issues.
Its office for Security and Counterterrorism, Crime and Policing Group, the Government Equality Office, the UK Border Agency, Identity and Passport Service, Criminal Record Bureau, Border Force and several other competent agencies are playing vital role in protecting National Security and National Critical Infrastructure of the country. The most important agency of Home Office is the UK Border Agency that controls borders and deals with immigration matters.
It was formed on 1st April 2008 by the merger of border and immigration agency, UK visa and the detection functions of HM Revenue and Customs. UKBA came under criticism for lengthy immigration queues at Heathrow in 2012, with non-EU nationals waiting up to 90 minutes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 in April 2012. A recent report from the National Audit Office (NAO) said that UKBA lay off 1,000 more staff than intended, and to hire extra people and increase overtime to meet its workload.
In the House of Lords debate on Border Agencyperformance, Lord Marlesford talked about the role of UKBA. In 19 July 2012,UKBA was severely criticized by Lord Avebury and said: "The UK Border Agency isin meltdown and it is a situation that is steadily getting worse, asillustrated by the increasing number of successful appeals against theirdecisions on applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK. Thousands ofcases to suppose to be cleared up by July 2011 are still in limbo, adults andchildren are still being detained for months unnecessarily in awful conditionsand torture victims are being failed by the rules which are supposed to protectthem. The UKBA should be abolished and its functions discharged by the HomeOffice, so that people can see where the responsibility lies."
While the story of 150,000 illegal immigrantsdenied the right to stay in Britain appeared in newspapers in July 2012, somequarters in government and public circles criticized the UK border agency forits inability to tackle the issue professionally. On July5, 2012, according tothe Guardian news report, immigration inspectors disclosed the existence of abacklog of thousands of cases involving immigrants refused permission to stay inthe country. The issue is very serious and complicated. In a statement, HomeAffairs Select Committee Chairman said that senior officials of Border Agencyshould be banned from getting bonuses until the organization make improve itswork. The issue of racism in the police department and the misconduct of thepolice also need considerable attention. On 29thJune, 2012, Guardian reportedNorthumbria police constable Stephen Mitchell was jailed for life after headmitted charges of rape and misconduct in public office.
Boris Johnson, the London mayor admitted thatlake of effective strategies were needed to tackle racism in the Metropolitanpolice after it emerged that more complaints of racism were recorded by thepolice watchdog. Metropolitan police has recorded more than 8,500 cases ofcorruption against its officers during the last three years. According to thepolice Watchdog, only 13 officers were prosecuted. Guardian reported the Watchdog Chief on 24thMay, 2012 demanding more powers. In April 2012, according to Met Police, therehad been ten complaints of racist behavior by police officers, which werereported to the Independent Police Complaints Commission office.
Britain approaches to counter terrorism aremostly based on intelligence-led policing but tactical mistakes weaken resolveand imbalance security of the citizens and civil liberties. Bangladeshi and Pakistaniextremist groups have strong representation in the UK; channel a lot of moneyto their terror networks in South Asia and Middle East. Britain most reliableSecurity Service in its website has warned about the high priority espionagethreat to the country's security, because MI5 understands that many states seekto retrieve information from the UK institutions to advance their own military,technological and economic programs.
There are two things to be made clear; thefirst thing is the unemployment crisis in the worldwide intelligence andespionage sectors which endangered the security of many states and, the secondas MI5 warns about the operation and activities of foreign intelligence thatmainly target the interests of the country. The UK Intelligence and SecurityCommittee in its annual report for 2011-2012 has also underlined the mostsignificant threat to the national security: "The most significant threat to the UK remains that from al-Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups and NorthernIreland related terrorism……..The threat level for Northern Ireland relatedterrorism is SEVERE in Northern Ireland SUBSTANTIAL in Great Britain." Cyberterrorism is the second biggest threat.
BBC on 17thJuly 2012 reported Intelligence andSecurity Committee urging intelligence agencies to begin covert operation todisrupt the computer networks of those targeting the UK institutions. Though, thereare some flaws in Britain's political, cultural and religious approach to nationalsecurity, but a research paper (UK Defense and Security Policy: A new approach) presented to the parliament last year reported a moreeffective security approach: "The newly established National Security Council,supported by new National Security Advisor, will therefore be responsible for overall decision making and overseeing the implementation of both the NSS andthe SDSR.
An Annual report of progress onimplementation will be presented to parliament for scrutiny by the newlyestablished Joint Parliamentary Committee on the National Security Strategy. Anew national Security Risk Assessment will be undertaken every two years, along with a new NSS and SDSR which will be published every five years" Thecontents of the above mentioned research paper and the government securityapproach highlighted in it is a professional security approach. With theestablishment of the UK National Security Council and an advisor, expertsexpect a lot of improvement in Britain's national security approach.