BRITAIN'S top cop Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe will host a Police Counter Terrorism Conference this week in London to discuss the changing terrorist threat in Europe and elsewhere.
Over 100 senior representatives from police and security services will attend, as well as partners from other countries recently affected by terrorist attacks, including the United States and Australia.
The conference, 'Police Challenges from ISIS and Al Qaeda Terrorism,' will be opened by the Commissioner and will include presentations on recent terrorist incidents in Australia and France. It will be an opportunity to share information on the police response to these attacks.
Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said: "In recent months I have visited colleagues in the United States, Israel, Jordan, and Germany and broadly we share the same threats and challenges. We are united in the effort to protect the public from a terrorist threat that has developed and grown in recent years.
"Although often referred to as 'international' terrorism, the terror threat is not just about our enemies on foreign soil, nor is it only about complex attacks being planned from distant lands.
"Today's terrorist may of course be a hardened member of an organised terrorist 'cell', but may very well also be a lone disaffected youth radicalised by extremist material on his home computer.
"Some of those travelling to Syria are fulfilling a long standing Jihadi ambition. But others who travel to Syria are youngsters fooled by propaganda – out of their depth and running out of time.
"The police must find a way to deal with both.
"Having been a terror target for many years, the UK has invested heavily in an effective counter terrorism policing structure, which is comprised of a series of CT policing units across the UK.
"This structure has grown, adapted and developed 'under fire' into a strong, experienced and professional national counter terror network of police forces and agencies working to the same aim – to protect our nation. Our experience is recognised internationally, but that does not stop us recognising the need to learn from the experiences of others and the conference, 'Police Challenges from ISIS and Al Qaeda Terrorism', will be an opportunity for everyone to learn from those attending."
Representatives of police and security services from countries including Australia, the USA, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Norway, New Zealand and Canada, as well as officers from across the UK's Counter Terrorism Network will be attending the conference which takes place over two days in central London this week.
