The Government yesterday reported its system for alerting the public to security threats.
According to the government, it’s part of an effort to make the nation’s security system clearer and more useful to the public. The new system streamlines the old seven-point threat-level system down to five levels:
low (an attack is unlikely)
moderate (an attack is possible but not likely)
substantial (an attack is a strong possibility)
severe (an attack is likely)
critical (an attack is expected imminently)
Currently, the threat level is severe.
An inexact science
Upon presenting the new threat levels to the House of Commons, the Home Secretary John Reid emphasised that judging threat levels was, by nature, not an exact science. Nobody could be absolutely certain that an attack will or will not happen. However, this system will allow the public to know the level of concern within the security services at any point about the threat faced.
Also, although the threat levels will be applied to the entire UK, vulnerability to attack varies by region and by sector of the economy, but the public is called upon to remain vigilant at all times, and to report any suspicious activities to authorities.
From August, information about the national threat level will be available on the Security Service (MI5) and Home Office websites.
The strategy
The government also released a document outlining its strategy for countering international terrorism – a plan developed in 2003, which is continuously reviewed and adapted, the Home Office added. Dr Reid described the strategy as, ‘involving the whole of government, international partners and agencies, including the police and intelligence services.’ The strategy is broken down into four parts – prevent, pursue, protect and prepare.
