Terrorist Attacks in the United Kingdom: Is British Counter-terrorism Failing or Succeeding?

Abstract

The United Kingdom had to face four shocking terrorist attacks in recent months. With these successful attacks a relatively peaceful period had come to an end, lasting since mid-2013, signaling that the U.K. must face the increasing threat of terrorism again. We have seen numerous analyses on the life, family background and personality of the perpetrators since the attacks, therefore the current analysis reflects upon counter-terrorism measure in the U.K. On the one hand I offer an overview of the terrorist threat based on hard data provided by law enforcement agencies and available databases, while on the other hand I evaluate the functioning of participating national security agencies, such as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5) and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters). Moreover, the prevention strategy to counter radicalization is examined, as well as those measures that might be suitable to deter susceptible individuals from participating in acts of terrorism. Finally, I strive to answer the question whether national security institutions and police forces held responsibility for failing to prevent the terrorist attacks of the past months.