What are the reasons for increased terrorist attacks in the UK?
Have there been attacks on British MPs before?
Why is there growing concern about the risk of increased terrorist attacks in the post-quarantine period?
Concerns have been raised about the threat of increased terrorist attacks in the UK following the assassination of a Conservative MP. After the quarantine period, the possibility of religious and racial extremism growing in the UK has risen sharply, British intelligence agencies say.
The Terrorist Attack on the Conservative Representative
David Amess, 69, a member of the ruling Conservative Party, was stabbed several times in a church in Essex during a meeting with voters in his constituency. The British Counter-Terrorism Police have officially declared the stabbing incident that led to the death of veteran British legislator, David Amess, a terrorist act. Scotland Yard said in a statement that initial investigations showed a potential motive for “Islamic extremism”. A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, and a knife was found, police said. He is currently in custody. Investigators said they believed the suspect had acted alone and they were not currently looking for anyone else. However, research into the details is ongoing. Police say the counter-terrorism command will lead the investigation into the murder. The prosecutor for the case of the murder of David Amess told that the person arrested was accused of being affiliated to the terrorist group ISIL.
History of Attacks on Members of the British Parliament
Increased terrorist attacks in the UK in recent years have always been a concern among British officials. In 2016, British lawmaker Jo Cox was stabbed and shot dead during the European referendum campaign. Labour MP Chris Bryant received a death threat letter a few days after David Amess was assassinated. Bryant told reporters after the assassination of Amess that not a year has gone by since 2001 without death threats and that the trend has intensified in recent years. British political, religious and social officials condemned the attack. In the aftermath, British lawmakers from across the political spectrum expressed their grief, concern and anger over the killing of another colleague.
The Growth of Extremism During the Quarantine Period
British intelligence officials have warned Boris Johnson’s cabinet of the UK’s increased terrorist attacks and the emergence of a potential new wave of attacks by “bedroom radicals” fuelled by the lockdown. Officials say the UK faces a new threat from “lone wolves” who have gone to extremes online after months of quarantine in their homes. The warning comes as the police investigate whether a 25-year-old suspect in the fatal stabbing of British lawmaker David Amess had turned into an extremist during the quarantine months for the pandemic.
Concerns About Rising Terrorism After the Quarantine
The counter-terrorism police and MI5 have been concerned that as soon as the quarantine is over, there will be more people on the streets, more targets for terrorists, and increased terrorist attacks in the UK. Also, the fact that many young people have spent a lot of time on the internet creates a very worrying combination, and there is a real concern about the possible rise of “bedroom radicals.” The argument is that a seemingly ordinary person will never become radicalised without access to the extremist content they see on the internet in safe spaces such as the “bedroom”.
The Possibility of a Terrorist Attack on Other Members of Parliament
British police are still interrogating 25-year-old Ali Harbi Ali, a British national of Somali origin, on suspicion of murdering David Amess, a member of the British Conservative Party. It was previously reported that the suspect had been referred to the London government’s counterterrorism programme, but was not on MI5’s list of suspected terrorists. There are also questions about the effectiveness of this programme under the heading of “prevention”. British security agencies now believe that the suspect may have planned to kill other members of parliament. According to the police, David Amess was not specifically targeted by the suspect, but is thought to have been part of a plan to target any legislator.
Home Secretary Concerned About the Growth of Extremism
Meanwhile, British Home Secretary Priti Patel has spoken out about concerns that quarantine could spark extremism. The Home Secretary said: “It is a really important point – the coronavirus pandemic, people being locked down at home, online etcetera. But to put this into perspective, we have the best security and intelligence agencies in the world.”
Increase Security Measures to Protect Delegates
London is stepping up security measures to protect members of parliament following the assassination of a British MP. In the UK, security measures have been tightened for members of parliament following an attack on a member of parliament. In an interview, British Home Secretary Priti Patel said that police and parliament had put immediate changes on the agenda in response to the issue. One of these changes is that members of parliament must share information about their whereabouts with the police. Better protection outside of office hours is also on the agenda, Patel said. The British Home Secretary announced that the government would take all measures to protect members of parliament better. It is currently being considered how to close the security gaps. At the same time, she stressed that such security measures should not destroy the link between the elected representatives, their democratic role and their responsibility and commitment to the voters.
Increased Terrorist Attacks Are Possible
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has called for a discussion on the security of politicians. Tobias Ellwood also called on fellow party members of the British Parliament to suspend physical meetings between MPs and citizens temporarily. Ellwood, who chairs the Commons Defence Committee, tweeted: “MP engagement with the public … is a vital part of our work – our accessibility with the public. But huge understandable anxiety among MPs now. Until the home secretary’s review of MP security is complete, I would recommend a temporary pause in face-to-face meetings.”
Former Cabinet Minister David Davis Disagrees
But former Cabinet Minister David Davis disagreed: “Sure, we should be cautious, maybe we should do things to ensure the people who come to see us are bona fide, but I think pausing it would be a bad idea. It would be a terrible reflection of what David stood for – David himself was the ultimate constituency MP.” Meetings with British citizens are usually held once a week and are an important part of British democratic culture.
Increased terrorist attacks in the UK signal a new kind of terrorist threat, but what have not changed is the socially isolated people behind the attacks. Recent terrorist threats could make the UK even more insecure for its officials. The government must increase security measures as soon as possible to counter the spread of a new type of terrorism in the UK. Otherwise, we will see an increase in these attacks day by day.
