The scale of terror in the UK – 23,000 suspects being monitored including 400 who fought for ISIS in Syria
BRITISH security services have comes across nearly 23,000 people during their counter-terrorism investigations with authorities now working to find out who was behind last night's attack in London.
Three men ran over pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a stabbing spree in Borough Market that left seven people dead and injured 48 others.
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423 720250 or email [email protected]
Last month the security services said these tens of thousands of people were subjects of interest as it emerged that UK authorities were holding 500 probes into 3,000 individuals.
In addition, authorities believe that 400 Isis-trained fighters have returned to Britain from Iraq and Syria and could pose a similar threat to that of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi.
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Abedi fought during the civil war in Libya that eventually ended in the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi but became attached to an armed Islamist group.
On May 22 he detonated a suicide bomb after a concert by Ariana Grande at Manchester Arena that resulted in the deaths of 22 fans and injuries to 116 others.
Police made 260 terror-related arrests in 2016, a drop of eight per cent compared to the figure of 282 in 2015.
Similarly, there was a drop of 30% in the use of powers by authorities for questioning people who were entering and leaving the country.
Officials in UK border areas used the powers 27,800 times in 2015 and 19,355 times in 2016.
Speaking about the investigation into thousands of individuals by the security services, the government's security minister Ben Wallace said: “All those people are in the mix.”
Meanwhile, independent peer Lord Carlile said it was a “grave mistake” to abolish control orders to monitor terror suspects.
The QC said the sweeping powers - which restricted suspects’ movement, use of phones and computers - "may have saved dozens of lives" between 2005 and 2011.
They were axed in 2012 after a row over civil liberties but the attacks in London and Manchester during the last two weeks - as well as the return of fighters from the Middle East - could prompt a rethink.
The UK's current threat level is considered 'severe' having been raised to critical in the aftermath of the Manchester attack.
It was dropped back down to 'severe' by Prime Minister Theresa May five days after the suicide bombing on May 27.
She chaired an emergency Cobra meeting following last night's attack at London Bridge and said in a statement that Britain had tolerated extremism for too long.
Armed police shot the three attackers dead just eight minutes after pedestrians reported they had been running over and stabbing people.
LONDON BRIDGE TERROR ATTACK - What we know so far
- A van ploughed through pedestrians on London Bridge just after 10pm on Saturday
- Three men wearing fake bomb vests jumped out on the south end of the bridge at Borough Market and began knifing bystanders and pub-goers
- Armed police arrived on the scene and within eight minutes the three terrorists were shot dead
- At least seven victims were killed and at least 30 people were injured. The injured were being treated across five London hospitals. One of the injured was a British Transport Police officer who was stabbed in the face
- Theresa May will chair a Cobra emergency response meeting later after the attack was confirmed to be a terror incident
- Four controlled explosions were heard near The Sun’s offices in London Bridge between 1:20am and 1:50am
- Police appealed for witnesses
- The Met Police opened a casualty bureau for those concerned about family and friends who might have been caught up in the attacks. There are two numbers to call: 0800 096 1233 and 020 7158 0197
Did you see the London Bridge terror attack, or know anyone involved? Please contact The Sun newsdesk on 020 7782 4100, text 07423 720250 or email [email protected]