Scotland faces ‘real and current’ terrorist threat

SCOTLAND faces a “real and current” terrorist threat police have said, as they launch a week-long initiative to counter extremism.

Police will be on hand at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports on Tuesday to speak to members of the public. Picture: TSPL

Officers are preparing to brief businesses across Glasgow and the west of Scotland in counter-terrorism and crime prevention to help them step up security.

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Police will also be on hand at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports on Tuesday to speak to members of the public and offer advice.

The UK-wide Counter Terrorism Awareness Week is designed to make the public aware of the terrorist threat level and ask for their help in reporting suspicious activity.

The terror threat level was recently increased to severe, meaning that an attack in the UK is “highly likely”, although there is said to be no specific intelligence of any planned attack.

Police Scotland said the aim of the exercise was not to alarm the public.

Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “Countering the terrorist threat is a combined effort.

“Police and other emergency services, businesses, Government, local authorities and all our communities working together to tackle the real and current threat to Scotland.

“We are continually developing and expanding our intelligence picture - we gather and assess a lot of information, but we can never know too much.

“I would urge anyone with any concerns to trust your instinct. If you see or suspect something please tell us. I can assure you that any information we receive will be carefully assessed and will be responded to appropriately and sensitively.”

As part of the initiative, police are also working with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator to remind people to be cautious about donating to charity via third parties.

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