Counter terror london

British schoolchildren as young as nine years old are to be drafted into the national security effort as the terror threat level remains “severe.” The plans to expand the Government’s Action Counters Terrorism programme covering 11- to 16-year-olds to include younger children in Years Five and Six of primary school — roughly equivalent to elementary school in the United States — were unveiled by a senior police officer at the Olympia’s International Security Expo, according to the Evening Standard.The unnamed officer told Expo attendees that “everybody needs to play their part in national security,” and that it was important that children help them to identify suspicious children — somewhat like “the Spies” in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. “I feel young people are influencers of the future in terms of the way that we approach security,” the officer explained. “Some people are anxious … [Read more...] about Sign of the Times: British Schoolchildren to Receive Counter-Terrorism Training

BRITISH cops are spending £500k on training anti-terror dogs who can track down jihadis in deadly attacks. The Belgian Malinois – which are slightly smaller than German Shepherds – are being taught how to bite terror suspects on the ankle rather than fatally wound them. Once their training is complete, they will be able to be parachuted out of helicopters under the guidance of their handlers and track down terrorists. Scotland Yard launched the £1million pilot scheme in April 2017 which currently has two dogs. But it now wants all eight of its counter-terrorism units to have a highly-trained dog following a number of 'successful firearms operations'. The Met Police's project is based on similar tactics used by the Special Forces and the US Navy Seals – who used a Malinois named Cairo to help kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011. Officers now hope to be able to use the talented canines instead of shooting a suspect or using a Taser during a terrorist … [Read more...] about Brit cops spend £500k training dogs to hunt down jihadis in terror attacks

POLITICS 07/12/2018 05:55 am ET She plans to meet with schoolchildren and veterans in the city. By Willa Frej LONDON ― President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump touch down in London on Thursday for a working visit, and while his meeting schedule will keep him almost exclusively outside of the capital, she will be spending some time in town. Tens of thousands are expected to flood the streets in protest. 10 Downing Street said she would be meeting with schoolchildren and veterans on Friday, accompanied by Philip May, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s husband. She will then head to Windsor Castle for tea with Queen Elizabeth II in the afternoon.  “On Friday she is going to have a separate program in London, and because it’s in London I’m not able to share the location but she plans to meet veterans and local schoolchildren,” a Downing Street spokeswoman told HuffPost U.K.  At the same time, Trump will be … [Read more...] about Melania Trump Will Be In London Amid Protests While President Avoids City On UK Visit

The counter-terror watchdog chief who has previously said returning jihadist terrorists should not be arrested is to become the UK’s new Director of Public Prosecutions. Max Hill QC will head up the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), overseeing hundreds of thousands of cases a year, and replaces Alison Saunders, whose contract was not renewed after a string of scandals blamed on her “politically correct” approach.Mr Hill has clashed with the government on tackling extremism and went on record to say it is “fundamentally wrong to attach the word ‘terrorism’ to any of the world religions”, and has previously set up meetings with Islamist apologist groups. He has worked as the independent reviewer of terrorism laws since 2017 and will be paid £204,000 a year in his new job at the CPS. In October 2017, Hill suggested that returning jihadis need to be reintegrated as they were “brainwashed” and “simply … [Read more...] about Terror Watchdog Boss Who Wanted Jihadis to ‘Reintegrate’ Is New Chief Prosecutor

Aug 14, 6:41 AM EDT Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury World By Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan 08/14/18 AT 4:57 AM A man was arrested after a car crashed into security barriers at the House of Parliament, Westminster in London on Tuesday morning, injuring several pedestrians. The Metropolitan Police Service tweeted their Counter-Terrorism Command was leading the investigation on the incident.Video footages from the scene showed armed police surrounding a silver car that collided with anti-terror bollards. The car appeared crumbled, with smoke coming from the back of the vehicle.Cyclists were believed to be among the injured, however; officials said none of them seemed to have life-threatening injuries.The London Ambulance Service tweeted two people were treated on the scene."I think it looked intentional - the car drove at speed and towards the barriers,” Ewalina Ochab, a witness said, Standard reported. "I was … [Read more...] about London Parliament Car Crash: Several Casualties, Driver Arrested, Terrorism Angle Being Investigated