Terror threat level: Police Scotland stress no 'specific threat to Scotland' as UK Government raise terror threat level to 'severe'

The UK’s terrorism threat level has been raised after two attacks in the space of a month but Police Scotland has stressed that there is no specific threat in Scotland.
By Beth Murray
Published 15th Nov 2021, 18:49 BST

On Monday Afternoon Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that the terrorism threat level had been raised to “severe” which means an attack is “highly likely.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Mark Williams, said: "While the terrorist threat in the UK is diverse, volatile and complex, I would stress at this time there is nothing to suggest there is any specific threat to Scotland.

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"I do want to take this opportunity to remind the public not to be alarmed, but to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to Police Scotland."

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and MI5 are responsible for setting the international and domestic threat levels respectively, taking into account available intelligence, terrorist intentions and capability as well as potential timescales for attacks.

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The threat level had been lowered to “substantial” in February, meaning an attack is “likely”, after being raised to severe in November last year.

The decision has been made following the incident outside Liverpool’s Women’s Hospital on Sunday when a car exploded, killing the passenger and injuring the driver.

Terror threat level: Police Scotland stress no 'specific threat to Scotland' as UK Government raise terror threat level to 'severe'Terror threat level: Police Scotland stress no 'specific threat to Scotland' as UK Government raise terror threat level to 'severe'
Terror threat level: Police Scotland stress no 'specific threat to Scotland' as UK Government raise terror threat level to 'severe'

This incident has officially been declared as an act of terrorism.

It comes after Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess died during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15.

Alleged terrorist Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is accused of murdering the MP and has also been charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1 2019 and September 28 this year.

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