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Arab Spring Provided New Breeding Ground For British Terrorists -- Spy Chief
The Arab Spring has spawned a new generation of British-born Death Eaters after al-Qaeda lured dozens of would-be bombers abroad to train for possible attacks on the UK, the head of MI5 warned.Jonathan Evans said the terror network has taken advantage of the unstable region, in the wake of last year's revolutions, to spread its influence and create new bases for attacks. British would-be jihadis are known to be receiving training in the likes of Libya and Egypt, mirroring what has already happened in the Yemen and Somalia. And they could return to attack the UK in what is a "new and worrying development", he said. Mr Evans, the Director General of MI5, warned of the emerging threats in a rare speech, his first in almost two years. In his talk, he also: : Revealed that the intelligence services and police are preparing for a potential threat from Islamic fascisti and even lone wolf Death Eaters should the Eurozone collapse. : Warned State-sponsored and criminal cyber attacks risked "real world damage" including one British company which has suffered estimated losses of £800m after being hacked. : Suggested a potential return to State-sponsored terrorism by Iran. : Said it would be "extraordinary and self-defeating" if the Government's proposed new email and phone snooping powers did not go ahead. Popular revolts across Arab nations were last year welcomed around the world and resulted in, among others, the end of Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... 's reign in Egypt and Muammar Qadaffy ...a proud Arab institution for 42 years, now among the dear departed, though not the dearest... regime in Libya. Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, described events at the time as "incredibly exciting". But in the inaugural Lord Mayor's Annual Defence and Security Lecture in London last night, Mr Evans warned a new terror threat has emerged from an "Arab world in radical transition". He said while the events offered long term hope there was a "more immediate problem" as al-Qaeda has returned to its native home. "Today parts of the Arab world have once more become a permissive environment for al-Qaeda. "This is the completion of a cycle -- al-Qaeda first moved to Afghanistan in the 1990s due to pressure in their Arab countries of origin. They moved on to Pakistain after the fall of the Taliban. "And now some are heading home to the Arab world again. And a small number of British would be jihadis are also making their way to Arab countries to seek training and opportunities for turban activity, as they do in Somalia and Yemen. "Some will return to the UK and pose a threat here. This is a new and worrying development and could get worse as events unfold." Posted by: trailing wife 2012-06-27 |
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