UK terror threat level downgraded

12 April 2012

The terrorist threat level has been downgraded from "severe" to "substantial", Home Secretary Alan Johnson said.

That means the official assessment of the danger of an attack in the near future has shifted from "highly likely" to a "strong possibility".

Mr Johnson said the country still faces a "real and serious" threat from terrorists and urged members of the public to remain vigilant.

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, a unit within MI5, sets the level based on an analysis of intelligence.

The assessment covers potential attacks by al Qaida or linked extremist groups and the threat from dissident Republican and Loyalist terrorists in Northern Ireland.

There are five levels of threat, ranging from low - meaning an attack is unlikely, to critical - when an attack is expected imminently.

Mr Johnson said: "The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has reduced the threat to the UK from international terrorism from Severe to Substantial.

"This means that an attack on the UK is a strong possibility. JTAC make their judgments based on a broad range of factors, including the intent and capabilities of international terrorist groups in the UK.

"We still face a real and serious threat from terrorists and the public will notice little difference in the security measures that are in place, and I urge the public to remain vigilant. The police and security services are continuing in their thorough efforts to discover, track and disrupt terrorist activity."

The threat level was made public for the first time on August 1, 2006, when it was set at severe.

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