Counter-terrorism: the London debate - MPA update

Report: 6a
Date: 31 January 2008
By: the Chief Executive

Summary

This report provides an update for members on the progress made by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) regarding ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’.

A. Recommendation

That

1. members note the progress made by the MPA regarding ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’; and

2. members resolve to receive a further update report from both the MPS and MPA on progress made regarding ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ at the Full Authority meeting on 24 July 2008.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. This report and the concurrent Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) report on the same subject, taken together, provide members with a comprehensive account of the progress made with ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ in the year since its publication in February 2007.

Terrorism context

2. There have been at least 15 attempted terrorist plots on British soil since 2001. The police and security services are currently contending with about 30 known plots, monitoring over 200 groups or networks, and investigating more than 2,000 individuals. Children as young as 15 have been implicated in terrorist-related activity. There have been more than 200 terrorist convictions in the United Kingdom (UK) since 11 September 2001. Last year 42 people were convicted of terrorist offences, with 21 pleading guilty, in 16 cases. There are currently 5 major terrorism trials in court in this country. These figures are all rising. This problem has not yet reached its peak.

3. The threat posed by international terrorism is significant, growing and evolving. It constitutes the most immediate and acute peacetime threat in the past century. Violent extremists are conducting a deliberate campaign, demonstrating a clear determination to mount terrorist attacks against the UK. This is a generation-long challenge to confront.

Counter-terrorism context

4. There has been significant investment in counter-terrorism capacity and capability nationally since 2001:

• The national security budget will increase from £2.5bn this year to £3.5bn in 2011.
• The Security Service (MI5) now employs 50+% more people than it did in 2001.
• The Home Office (HO) is to spend an additional £240m between now and 2011 on counter-terrorist policing.
• Regional police Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs), Counter Terrorism Intelligence Units (CTIUs) and Security Service Stations (RGs) have now been established nationally.
• SO15, the Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) in the MPS, has seen significant growth.

5. However, whilst law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies can help to contain the threat, they cannot on their own resolve it: the police cannot arrest a way out of the problem the country faces. There is now a broad consensus that the national counter-terrorist effort must focus as much on preventing the next generation of terrorists as pursuing current targets. There is a pressing need to identify and address the root causes of the problem. This is a long-term challenge, which will require a sustained and collective effort in which the state, communities and wider civil society all have an important part to play.

6. The Government’s national security strategy, CONTEST, has four strands: PREVENT, PROTECT, PREPARE and PURSUE. The PREVENT strand of this strategy, which focuses ‘upstream’ on stopping people becoming or supporting violent extremists, has recently been refreshed by the HO and other Whitehall departments, and is now more prominent than ever before. The Government is now pressing those agencies charged with counter-terrorism responsibilities, including police authorities, to prioritise PREVENT work and to develop it as core business.

Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate

7. ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ is an MPA report grounded in consultation with over 1,000 diverse Londoners. It places especial emphasis upon the importance of PREVENT work to counter terrorism.

8. Since publishing ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ in February 2007, the MPA has distributed 1,500 copies of the report to relevant colleagues and community members throughout the UK and around the world. The report has been disseminated to, amongst others: all the organisations which participated in the original consultative programme, chief constables, cabinet ministers, civil servants, police authorities, local authorities, government offices, regional assemblies, media outlets, think tanks, academics, pressure groups, prosecutors, faith and community groups, student unions, political parties, Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the House of Lords, officials in the European Union (EU), embassies, overseas governments and police services, and the United Nations (UN). Requests were received, and met, for copies of the report in English, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, EasyRead, large print, audio cassette and British Sign Language video formats. 500 more copies of the report have been ordered to meet demand.

9. MPA members and officers have presented the report to many, varied fora, including international and domestic conferences, meetings with police forces from this country and overseas, and a dedicated seminar for police authorities organised in conjunction with the Association of Police Authorities (APA). The MPA is also pursuing this work with colleagues in the European Commission, European Parliament, European Council and EU member states. MPA member Lord Graham Tope is to be Rapporteur for the EU’s Committee of the Regions (CoR) on ‘Stepping up the fight against terrorism: involvement of regional and local authorities’. Officers from the MPA and MPS will assist him in the development of a report for adoption as CoR policy at the Plenary Session in June 2008.

Recommendations for the MPS

10. The MPA has been closely monitoring MPS implementation of the 46 recommendations made in the report for the MPS. Progress in this regard is detailed in the concurrent MPS report.

Recommendations for other bodies

11. The MPA has also actively pursued the 27 recommendations made in its report for other bodies. To this end, the three MPA members who led ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, supported by MPA officers, have, between them, held dedicated meetings or discussions on ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ with relevant senior colleagues in Government and elsewhere. For a list of these individuals, see Appendix 1. In these meetings and discussions MPA members and officers have sought to persuade and influence colleagues in Government and other bodies to adopt the advice offered to them in ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’.

12. The remainder of this report details progress made regarding each of these 27 recommendations (numbered 47-73, as per the original report):

Recommendation 47. Government: Facilitate open discussion of terrorism and counter-terrorism at all levels and locations in society.

13. The Government has recognised the need to participate in dialogue and discussion with members of the public, from all communities, on the terrorist threat and counter-terrorist response. It is seeking the widest possible consent for, and understanding of, the national response to the terrorist threat. It recognises that success in this regard requires consensus as much as executive or law enforcement powers, and that consensus, in turn, requires openness and consultation. Whilst no grievance can justify terrorism, where grievances are legitimately expressed, the Government is prepared to debate them. Where grievances are not only legitimately expressed but well founded, the Government is prepared to respond. The Government has invited universities to lead a debate on how to maintain academic freedom whilst ensuring that extremists cannot stifle debate or impose their views. It is also consulting on how to support further education colleges to enable young people to debate and discuss issues of concern.

Recommendation 48. Government: Continue publicly to recognise the widely held view that an interpretation of United Kingdom foreign policy, including the war in Iraq, is being used to drive international terrorism in this country.

14. The Government position is that there is no direct causal link between UK foreign policy and terrorism in the UK, but rather that UK activity overseas is misinterpreted by terrorists in order to radicalise and recruit vulnerable individuals in this country. The Government is committed to explaining its existing policies, including the UK’s foreign policy, more effectively in order to refute claims made about them in the language of violent extremists.

Recommendation 49. Government: Ensure that counter-terrorism activity in the United Kingdom remains rooted in communities, led by police and held publicly accountable.

15. There has been no indication that the Government intends to create a national counter-terrorism executive agency. It is consulting on how best to render MI5 accountable, including consideration of the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), mooting the possibility of hearings in public, a strengthened capacity for investigations, reports subject to more parliamentary debate and greater transparency over appointments to the committee.

Recommendation 50. Government: Amend legislation regarding sub judice (matters under trial or being considered by a judge or court) to allow the police to provide the public with more information on the country’s counter-terrorism effort without jeopardising fair trials.

16. Although no legislative change has so far been brokered, the case for this change has been publicly supported by the country’s most senior police counter-terrorist investigator and the most senior Law Officer, who have expressed their concern that, during the long time that it takes to bring complicated terrorism cases to court, official silence on these high-profile cases can lead some people to think that prosecutors have no case and can therefore do serious damage to confidence in the police. The Government has commissioned research into whether juries really are prejudiced by media reports of criminal cases. The MPA urges Government to trust juries to distinguish the prejudicial from the probative.

Recommendation 51. Government: Enable the criminal justice system and the courts to ensure that terrorism trials are brought forward in a timely and speedy fashion without long delays during which cynicism about the strength of the case against those accused may grow.

17. The Government has introduced 14 new specially protected courtrooms to process terrorism cases more efficiently and reduce the time between arrest and trial. A single senior judge has been nominated to manage all terrorism cases. There will also be a single senior lead prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) responsible for cases relating to inciting violent extremism.

Recommendation 52. Government: Law Officers to remind the media of the importance of the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ and the law on contempt of court.

18. The Government has stated that the Contempt of Court Act 1981 (CCA) is no mere technicality and that any increased openness of the state and consequent reporting in the media regarding terrorism cases must be consistent with the overriding imperatives of justice.

Recommendation 53. Government: Enhance accountability arrangements for the media by strengthening the Office of Communications and the Press Complaints Commission.

19. No progress to report.

Recommendation 54. Government: Give Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships a public protection priority target to ensure the dedication of adequate resources to this area of business.

20. The Government has outlined 30 new Public Service Agreements (PSAs) for the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) period 2008-2011. Those relevant to community safety are detailed in the new National Community Safety Plan, most notably PSA 26: ‘Reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from international terrorism’. The new National Indicator Set (NIS) of 198 performance indicators, published on 11 October 2007, features two indicators related to PSA 26: ‘NI 35: Building resilience to violent extremism’ and ‘NI 36: Protection against terrorist attack’.

21. Each Local Area Agreement (LAA) in the country can contain a maximum of 35 indicators in areas in which the local partnership intends to improve. 70 LAAs have been identified nationally by DCLG, using Muslim population as a proxy, as priority areas for counter-terrorism. These 70 LAAs will be expected to feature NI 35 and/or NI 36 amongst their selection of indicators for areas of business in which to improve. The Government has consistently made it clear that it expects local authorities to regard tackling violent extremism and protection against terrorism as part of core business.

22. Last year the Government made £6m available to local authorities and partnerships to run Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) pathfinder projects. Over the CSR period 2008-2011 this will be increased to £70m, and will include funding for developing leadership programmes for young people, strengthening the capacity of women’s groups, and local projects to build citizenship.

23. MPA members are ensuring that the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), and, where relevant, Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), on which they sit give counter-terrorism matters due consideration.

Recommendation 55. Government: Provide more resources to local authorities for contingency and continuity planning.

24. DCLG are confident that the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 ensure that this area is adequately addressed at local authority level. The department monitors progress and performance in this regard nationally.

Recommendation 56. Government: Educate people as to the contributions Islam has made to United Kingdom and global society.

25. In addition to joint work with the French and German governments on building an appreciation of Islamic and Muslim heritage across Europe, the Arts Council England, Tate Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum and British Library are all taking forward projects to promote greater understanding of the contribution of Islam to European history and culture. There is much good work to build on in this area, such as the ‘1001 Inventions’ exhibition (www.1001inventions.com), which began its UK tour in Manchester and will be coming to the Croydon Clocktower in London in February 2008.

Recommendation 57. Government: Display sensitivity to considerations that some Muslim organisations will not bid for community grants from National Lottery Fund monies, considering them to be the prohibited proceeds of gambling.

26. Ministers have undertaken to keep the MPA updated on any progress in this regard.

Recommendation 58. Government: Bring faith groups together to discuss theological approaches to deradicalisation.

27. DCLG has held round-table Islamic and interfaith events to discuss the roles which theology and the clergy can play in the national counter-terrorism effort.

Recommendation 59. Government: Ensure urgently that all emergency services’ telecommunications are rendered compatible and fully functional in all environments.

28. Responsibility for extending Airwave (the national police radio system) on the London Underground rests with the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) and London Underground Limited (LUL). Airwave is now live on stations on a number of lines across London. This is a limited capacity service. Officers are aware of these developments, and will be kept advised as additional stations go live. There are standard operating procedures in place for working with LUL on the underground whether Airwave is live on the station or not, and officers are fully aware of these. Rollout of Airwave on the underground will continue through to the end of 2008.

Recommendation 60. Political parties: Recognise the importance of cross-party consensus in approaching counter-terrorism work.

29. Frontbench spokespeople of all three main parties in the House of Commons have expressed their commitment to seeking all-party consensus on national security matters.

Recommendation 61. Security Service: Explain how the public, including businesses, should adapt their behaviour, if at all, in accordance with published terrorist threat levels, or what accompanying change in policing and security they can expect to observe.

30. The Security Service’s website, www.mi5.gov.uk, now provides detailed information on the terrorism threat levels and what they signify.

31. In terms of businesses’ and other premises’ understanding of the terrorist threat and how to counter it, there has been significant activity in the past year. More than 900 shopping centres, sports stadia and venues where people congregate have been assessed by Counter Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs) and over 10,000 premises given updated security advice, including how to identify suspect activity. The Government plans to invest a further £1.5m in CTSA posts from April 2008 which will enable more protective security advice to be provided at the local level to both the public and private sector. The police National Counter-Terrorist Security Office (NaCTSO) has already produced guides to improving protective security by business sector. Guides aimed at sports stadia, pubs, clubs and bars, shopping centres and high streets and visitor attractions have been produced and distributed to businesses in these sectors and copies are available from www.nactso.gov.uk. Other protective security guidance for cinemas and theatres, restaurants and hotels and the education and health sectors will be produced by April 2008. Guidance for major events, religious sites, places of worship and commercial centres will be produced by July 2008.

Recommendation 62. Independent Police Complaints Commission: Continue to review its working practices and resources to find ways to speed up its high-profile investigations. Continue to improve its protocols on keeping the public aware of the progress and findings of its investigations.

32. The IPCC challenged the report’s findings, maintaining that it conducts its high-profile investigations as rapidly as possible and that it keeps the public aware of the progress and findings of its investigations as a matter of course. However, commentators, including Liberty, have been seriously critical of the IPCC’s delays in publishing the Stockwell reports and the impact this has had on trust and confidence in both the police and the IPCC.

Recommendation 63. Police Authorities: Perform consultative exercises in their areas with the public on terrorism and counter-terrorism.

33. The MPA and the APA ran a national seminar for all police authorities on 3 July 2007 on community engagement to counter terrorism. There has been a marked increase in police authority activity in the field of counter-terrorism community engagement, particularly but not exclusively in West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

Recommendation 64. Police Authorities: Must raise the profile of their work to scrutinise and hold the police to account in the field of counter-terrorism.

34. The work of police authorities in scrutinising and holding to account police counter-terrorist expenditure and activity has increased significantly. A national Joint Counter Terrorism Unit Oversight Group (JCTUOG) has been established by the MPA, with appropriate HO and APA support. Its members are the Chairs and Chief Executives of Greater Manchester Police Authority, West Midlands Police Authority, West Yorkshire Police Authority and the MPA. It is chaired by Len Duvall, Chair of the MPA. It receives regular reports from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Terrorism and Allied Matters Committee (TAM) on the development of counter-terrorist policing capability nationally. Although an informal group with no executive responsibilities, this group has achieved a level of transparent accountability that is valuable to the HO as well as to all police authorities in England and Wales.

35. The APA is producing guidance for all police authorities on how to fulfil their proper roles when it comes to counter-terrorism policing. This guidance is to be published in early 2008.

Recommendation 65. Local Government: Local authorities to publicise local emergency plans more widely.

36. The Cabinet Office work on ‘warning and informing’ has helped local authorities to meet the demands of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in this regard.

Recommendation 66. Local Government: Increase capacity to provide co-ordinated family assistance and counselling in the event of a terrorist attack.

37. Work in this area, which commenced in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks in London on 7 July 2005 and remains ongoing, is innovative and impressive, setting an example to local authorities throughout the country.

Recommendation 67. Media: The media need to give more coverage to mainstream opinions within the community, rather than publicising sensational, extreme minority opinions and using the excuse of 'balanced reporting'.

38. The Royal Television Society and the Society of Newspaper Editors are to hold a conference and regional debates on how to ensure accurate and balanced reporting of issues related to terrorism in the media.

Recommendation 68. Media: Beware the pitfalls of using ex-police-officers with out-of-date skills and knowledge as so-called expert commentators on counter-terrorism matters.

39. No progress to report.

Recommendation 69. Business: Big businesses to give contingency and continuity advice to smaller businesses.

40. London First has a campaign according to which big businesses in the capital brief smaller companies on how best to protect themselves against being a victim of terrorism and how to recover from any terrorist attack. Many small businesses went out of business immediately after the Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb in Manchester in 1996. London First is working to avoid a repetition of that situation if London is attacked again.

Recommendation 70. Business: Mobile phone providers to recognise their ability to contribute to London’s resilience by making their networks more robust so that people can communicate at times of emergency.

41. No progress to report.

Recommendation 71. Communities: Encourage reporting of all instances of hate crime to the police, in order to see offenders brought to justice and other potential victims spared.

42. This work is ongoing through the MPA-sponsored London Race Hate Crime Forum (RHCF).

Recommendation 72. Communities: Recognise that there are some parallels between different communities’ experiences of terrorism and its fallout, and encourage inter-community dialogue to see what lessons can be shared.

43. The Government is proposing interfaith bodies in every community in the country to build greater mutual understanding.

Recommendation 73. Muslim Communities: Equip Islamic clergy to bolster their contribution to the counter-terrorist effort by:

• Certification of imams to guarantee that they can relate to young British Muslims on their issues in their language.
• Training more imams in this country.
• Mosque management committees finding positive ways to challenge extremist propaganda.
• Mobilising Islamic scholarship to articulate theological challenges to terrorism.

44. The Government has pledged its support for imams and mosque leaders to develop professional skills, including English language training, to reach out to young people, to strengthen the governance of mosques to help them serve communities better, and to tackle the ideology of violent extremists. The Government is also developing a framework of minimum standards for public institutions engaging state-sponsored imams, such as prisons, hospitals and universities, in order to ensure that these key figures have the understanding, skills and capacity to engage with young and vulnerable people and confront and isolate extremists. The newly constituted Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), which has been established as a result of the Government’s Preventing Extremism Together (PET) Taskforce, commissioned in the wake of the 7 July 2005 bombings in London, will support this work. In October 2007 it published its first draft constitution and guidance on core standards for mosques. This included advice on counter-radicalisation and counter-terrorism. The Government will also be announcing an independent review to examine with communities how to build the capacity of Islamic seminaries, learning from the other faith communities as well as experience overseas.

45. The Radical Middle Way initiative, also born out of the PET Taskforce’s work, has delivered road shows where Islamic scholars have addressed young audiences on relevant theological issues. Over 60,000 people have participated in these road shows nationally. Furthermore, the Radical Middle Way website gets 50,000 hits each month. Muslim scholars, such as Professor Tariq Ramadan, University of Oxford, who was a panellist for ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, have fostered debate nationally and internationally on these themes, speaking, for instance, of the importance of considering the text of the Qu’ran in context, and differentiating between explanation and justification of terrorist acts.

Conclusion

46. Government strategy, policy and spending on counter-terrorism is now more closely aligned with the needs and wishes of Londoners than it was a year ago. There is a pronounced correlation between many of the developments in the country’s approach to counter-terrorism and the recommendations the MPA made on behalf of Londoners in ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’. Through its deliberate and proactive championing of the views of Londoners at the highest levels throughout the past year, the MPA has exerted real influence over the evolution of the UK’s counter-terrorist effort. Those Londoners who volunteered their time to participate in ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ have genuinely contributed to shaping both national thinking and practice on the ground in this most important of arenas.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The MPA has striven, throughout this programme, to promote a more inclusive and egalitarian approach to countering the threat posed by international terrorism. There is significant evidence contained in this report and elsewhere that recent developments in the UK’s approach to counter-terrorism are in keeping with this aim.

2. For example, in ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ the MPA urged Government and the police to do more to engage women and young people in the UK counter-terrorist effort. The Government has since made clear its view that responsible leadership means working with partners in local communities to enable young people and women to contribute fully to society, and, in particular, to unlock the potential of Muslim women, whose voices often go unheard, and whose contribution is vital in creating resilient communities. The Government has launched a new National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group (NMWAG) and announced its intention to fund leadership and assertiveness courses for Muslim women to empower them to challenge extremists. The Government has also expressed its concern that terrorists are methodically and intentionally targeting, radicalising, indoctrinating and grooming young people and children in this country to carry out acts of terrorism. It has therefore announced the formation of a youth panel to advise the Government on counter-terrorism matters.

3. For further details on the equality and diversity implications of ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, please refer to the previous reports listed in the Background Papers section below.

D. Financial implications

1. This report has no financial implications.

2. The total cost of the ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ programme (including hosting a national seminar) and report (including design, printing 2,000 copies, and translations), excluding opportunity costs associated with MPA members’ and officers’ time, has been £45,000.

E. Background papers

1. ‘Community engagement to counter terrorism’, MPA, Full Authority, 26 January 2006

2. ‘Community engagement to counter terrorism (2)’, MPA, Coordination and Policing Committee, 3 March 2006

3. ‘Community engagement to counter terrorism (3)’, MPA, Full Authority, 27 July 2006

4. ‘Community engagement to counter terrorism’, MPS, Full Authority, 27 July 2006

5. ‘Counter-Terrorism: the London Debate (covering report)’, MPA, Full Authority, 22 February 2007

6. ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, MPA, February 2007

7. ‘Review of police use of counter-terrorism stop and search powers ion London’, MPS, Full Authority, 31 May 2007

8. ‘MPA update on Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, MPA, Full Authority, 28 June 2007

9. ‘MPS response to the MPA report Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’, MPS, Full Authority, 28 June 2007

10. Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister, statement on national security, House of Commons, 25 July 2007

11. Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister, statement on national security, House of Commons, 14 November 2007

12. Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, speech on preventing extremism, QEII Centre, 31 October 2007

13. Jacqui Smith MP, Home Secretary, written statement on national security, House of Commons, 14 November 2007

14. Jacqui Smith MP, Home Secretary, keynote address at the First International Conference on Radicalisation and Political Violence, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, 17 January 2008

15. Lord Goldsmith, (then) Attorney General, address to The Reform Club’s Media Group, 24 May 2007

16. Jonathan Evans, Director General, MI5, address to The Society of Editors, Radisson Edwardian Hotel Manchester, 5 November 2007

17. Peter Clarke, (then) Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), Specialist Operations (SO), MPS and National Co-ordinator of Terrorist Investigations, Colin Cramphorn Memorial Lecture, Policy Exchange, 24 April 2007

F. Contact details

Report author: Andy Hull, MPA

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

List of individuals with whom MPA members and officers have held dedicated meetings or discussions on ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’:

• Tony Blair MP, (then) Prime Minister.
• Dr John Reid MP, (then) Home Secretary.
• Lord Goldsmith, (then) Attorney General.
• Ruth Kelly MP, (then) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
• Jacqui Smith MP, Home Secretary.
• Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
• James Purnell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
• Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for London and the Olympics.
• Tony McNulty MP, Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing.
• Baroness Neville-Jones, Shadow Security Minister.
• Jonathan Evans, Director General, Security Service.
• Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service.
• Deborah Glass, Commissioner, Independent Police Complaints Commission.
• Alan Pacey, Assistant Chief Constable, British Transport Police.
• Fionnuala Gill, Executive Director, Association of Police Authorities.

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