Jacqui Smith: The threat of a chemical or nuclear attack is now more real

1) Chemical or nuclear attack threat 'more realistic'
2) list of related links

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 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/smith-to-unveil-new-antiterror-strategy-1652747.html

excerpts from: Chemical or nuclear attack threat 'more realistic'

by Sam Marsden, Independent, 24 March 2009


Terrorist group al-Qa'ida is likely to fragment in the coming years but an attack on Britain involving chemical or nuclear weapons is now "more realistic", the Government warned today.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith highlighted the danger posed by new technologies and failed states around the world as she published an updated counter-terror strategy.

The report - known as Contest Two […] contains a stark warning about the likelihood of an attack involving a "dirty bomb". […]

Ms Smith was asked whether there was a greater threat of a CBRNE (*) attack than five years ago. She replied:

"There is the potential, given the international situation, what we believe to be the aspirations of some international terrorists, that it could be." […]

Ms Smith called for the use of "civil challenge" to those who hold extremist viewpoints. She cited the example of the Muslim activists who recently protested at a homecoming parade in Luton for British forces returning from Iraq. […]

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(*) CBRNE is the acronym for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives.

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RELATED LINKS:


 http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/publication-search/general/HO_Contest_strategy.pdf?view=Binary

The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering International Terrorism



 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/22/gordon-brown-terrorism

Brown: We are about to take the war against terror to a new level



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/british-hotels-put-on-alert-over-mumbai-style-terror-attack/

Smith: British hotels put on alert over Mumbai-style terror attack



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/britain-is-now-harbouring-a-menacing-enemy-within/

British tabloid press: British is now harbouring a menacing enemy within



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/miliband-the-security-situation-in-pakistan-is-fuelling-terrorist-plots-in-britain/

Miliband: The security situation in Pakistan is fuelling terrorist plots in Britain



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/uk-government-people-who-believe-in-armed-resistance-would-be-considered-as-extremists/

UK government: People who believe in armed resistance would be considered as extremists



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/pakistan-linked-to-75-of-all-uk-terror-plots-warns-gordon-brown/#comments

Brown: Pakistan ‘linked to 75% of all UK terror plots



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/gaza-attack-fuels-al-qaida-extremism-in-the-uk/

Smith: Gaza attack fuels Al Qaida extremism in the UK

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 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/obama-our-central-mission-in-afghanistan-is-to-prevent-another-al-qaeda-attack-on-the-us-homeland-videos/

Obama: Our central mission in Afghanistan is to prevent another al Qaeda attack on the U.S. homeland



 http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/us-facing-home-grown-islamic-terror-threat/

FBI: US facing home-grown Islamic terror threat

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