At least 400 suspects detained in Britain for terror-related offences this year

NewsBharati    13-Dec-2017
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Britain, December 13: Terrorism related activities have been surged up massively in the United Kingdom due to which hundreds of innocent civilians lost their life. However, at least 400 suspects are arrested for terror-related offences in Britain this year till the end of September.

 

Notably, a total of 400 suspects were detained in Britain for terror-related offences this year till the end of September which is a 54 percent jump on the previous 12 months. This was the highest tally since data collection started in 2001 with figures also revealing that 58 of those held were female, the highest number on record.

The Home Office of Britain said that the increase was partly due to a large number of arrests made following terrorist attacks in London and Manchester this year. The figures released by Home Office show that 115 arrests resulted in charges of which 97 were terror-related. While a total of 213 people were released without charge, 60 were released on bail pending further investigation and 11 faced alternative action. One case was described as pending.

The figures also revealed that there were year-on-year increases in the number of arrests for terrorism-related offences across all age groups and ethnic groups, including a 77% rise in the number of white suspects held, from 81 to 143. The figures show an annual jump of more than a third in arrests linked to international terrorism, from 212 to 292, such as Islamic State. There was also a massive in arrests for domestic terrorism, up from 20 in the year to September 2016 to 73 in the latest period and a further five in connection to Northern Ireland.

There were 12 arrests following the Westminster attack in which Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge killing four people before stabbing police officer Keith Palmer to death as he protected the House of Commons. A total of 21 people were arrested after three extremists went on a stabbing rampage in the London Bridge and Borough Market attack in which eight people were killed. One person was arrested after the Finsbury Park attack in which one person died and seven held after the Parsons Green Tube bomb.

Security Minister of Britain Ben Wallace said police and security services have been clear that we are facing a shift rather than a short-term spike in the terrorist threat. “The whole of society must come together to challenge the terrorist threat and public must remain alert but not alarmed and report any suspicions they have about unusual activity or behaviour to the appropriate authorities,” he added.