Fears of Christmas terror attack in Britain ‘sees SAS called in to monitor the country’s high streets’
UK high streets and shopping centres across the country will be monitored by more than 200 SAS soldiers amid fears of a Christmas terror attack in Britain.
The elite troops will be deployed after SAS commanders cancelled all holiday leave so the regiment's soldiers can join police in the largest counter terror surveillance operation in recent years, reports say.
The plans for mobilisation came after the Home Office responded to a warning from MI5's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre that ISIS extremists were targeting mainland Britain for a major terror attack.
Sources speaking to the Sunday Express said they are responding to "new and urgent" threats uncovered after interrogating captured militant extremists in Iraq.
The UK is already on a nationwide state of alert after intelligence services disrupted 12 terror plots since 2013 - many of which were masterminded in Iraq and Syria.
related stories
Operating under police command, the Special Forces troops will be armed and capable of advising on hostage situations and chemical incidents, the paper reports.
The 200-strong force will operate as part of the Police's Counter Terrorist Command unit and will focus primarily on major Metropolitan areas like London, Birmingham and London.
Other soldiers will blend into crowds of Christmas shoppers to keep a look out for terrorist activity.
Sources told the Express: "We have seen the military supporting the police before, but not on this scale. With specialists and intelligence teams we are looking at 200 personnel.
"We could be looking at a so-called 'walk-in', when a cell travels to a city to launch and attack with bombs in their backpacks.
"But we could also face a spectacular Paris-style street attack.
"The biggest concern is an information attack where internet servers are overloaded, locking down networks."
He added that there also exists an increased threat of cyber terrorism.
A day before the revelation, MI6 chief Alex Younger warned: "The risks at stake are profound and represent a fundamental threat to our sovereignty".
Andrew Parker, the head of MI5 and responsible for UK mainland security, echoed Mr Younger's concerns, claiming there may be as many as 3,000 homegrown Islamist extremists operating in the UK.
The sources said the MI6 warning means British security services are aware of at least one active UK terrorist cell, making the risk of an attack feel "very real".
A helicopter-borne SAS response unit, supported by armed police, has also been in operation for the last six months which can be called to action for terror 'incidents' anywhere across the UK.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368