By Chris Bradley
You might have read in the papers or seen on the news recently that the British Foreign Office has upgraded the risk of terrorism for France, Germany and Sweden. But do you know how they monitor terror threats and how they measure the danger? The Home Office provides advice for UK citizens travelling abroad so read on to learn how the threat of terrorism is assessed and how information is received.
Kidnaps, aircraft hijacking or attack, chemical, nuclear, radiological or biological use, shootings, bombings or suicide operations are all classed as acts of terrorism by the British Foreign Office. Although they do not advise travellers to avoid those countries classed as being on high-alert, they do advise tourists to remain vigilant at all times.
There are 5 levels that are used to classify the threat of terrorism in the UK:
- Critical is the highest level, which means an attack is expected imminently
- Severe tells us that an attack is highly likely
- Substantial means that an attack is a strong possibility
- Moderate suggests that an attack is possible but not likely
- Low indicates that an attack is unlikely
The current threat level in the UK remains at ‘Severe’, which was set in January following analysis of intelligence by the UK’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC). If you’re travelling soon, do check the advice given by both the Home Office and the country you are visiting but most importantly stay safe.
