Is the UK prepared for terrorist attacks?

Dr.Sally Leivesley briefing FPA members 

Expert in catastrophic risk Dr.Sally Leivesley told FPA members there was an escalation in the rate of radicalisation of young people, and this process could happen entirely online - without, for instance, the involvement of radical preachers. Terrorism was seen as a career choice and we needed to offer young people other careers that achieved recognition and made a difference. It was misleading to talk of "lone wolf" attacks; terrorists were getting very good at counter surveillance and communications. The only real "lone wolf" of recent times was Anders Breivik in Norway in 2011. Terror plots in cities were more numerous, and below the radar. We were now looking at shock attacks from groups of young people; young women wearing suicide vests were especially dangerous as young women are perceived as less threatening. She said there was an emerging intelligence operation by terrorist groups to use cyber resources against states  - they could be used with pinpoint accuracy against the water, energy and communications resources of big cities. The international community needed to be prepared for attacks and to take offensive and disruptive operations online against groups like ISIS. Asked whether a terrorist attack in London was imminent her assessment was that it could happen at any time. When the police spoke of having "no active intelligence of a plot" all they meant was they didn't know. 

King Richard III’s reinterment

Dr.Stone from the Richard III Society    

Dr.Phil Stone, Chairman of the Richard III Society briefed FPA members on the details of the various services and events taking place in Leicester during the week of Richard III's reinterment in the Cathedral on March 26th. It was going to be a remarkable event - justice will be done as the King's remains are reinterred with dignity and honour. The reputation of a man who did much for his country will be restored and history set right. Dr.Stone said the discovery of Richard's remains had had an amazing impact on the city with a new Visitor Centre built and huge publicity around the world. 

Denis MacShane on "Brexit"

Denis MacShane holding up his new book "Brexit"      

Former Europe Minister Denis MacShane told FPA members that different and increasingly strong currents - political, economic, media, cultural, identity, historic - were coming together into one powerful confluence that threatened to take Britain out of the European Union. He hoped on May the 8th his book would become irrelevant, and all copies pulped. But he worried that if David Cameron wins the election on May the 7th,  an In Out referendum will dominate UK politics for years, cause terrible trouble after a likely No vote, and present a nightmare to the Americans.