Extremists who are not allowed to travel to Syria may carry out UK attacks, warns top prosecutor
Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said authorities need to be "very aware" of convicted terrorists unable to reach ISIS heartlands
JIHADIS unable to reach Iraq and Syria to fight for ISIS may carry out attacks in the UK instead - Britain's top prosecutor has warned.
The warning comes as new figures show 85 per cent of 109 people convicted of terror offences related to Iraq and Syria have never set foot in the countries.
Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said authorities need to be "very aware" of people unable to reach the Middle East who may then plot attacks on Britain.
She said: "We need to be acutely aware that if people can't go to Syria - and we have certainly seen this in some of the cases we have prosecuted they may plan an attack here instead."
Ms Saunders added extremists prevented from travelling may also attempt to radicalise others in Britain.
She said "we need to be very aware of that" and it may mean that the "type of prosecutions" seen over the last few years may have to change.
The youngest offender was a then 14-year-old from Blackburn, Lancs, who was convicted in 2015.
He was found to have taken on the role of "organiser and adviser" to an alleged Australian jihadist in a plan to murder police officers in Melbourne on Anzac Day.
Those convicted come from a across society, including former prisoners, a hospital director and the son of a police officer.
Married couples, siblings and a mother of six have also been prosecuted and of the 109 people convicted, 18 (16 per cent) were female.
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