The Home Office has announced that a record number of people have been arrested for terrorism-related offences.
379 terrorism-related arrests were reported in the 12 months up to June 2017, the figures have revealed. Not only does this reveal the ABSOLUTE importance of conducting checks on arrest records for your neighbours, schools, employees, work colleagues and anybody else you deal with – it also highlights that violence is growing at a remarkable rate!!
The statistic include dozens of arrests that took place following attacks in London and Manchester this summer.
The 379 arrests includes 57 made in connection with the Westminster (12 arrests), Manchester Arena (23 arrests), London Bridge (21 arrests) and Finsbury Park (one arrest) attacks.
Of those arrested, 54 people were women, the largest female proportion on record, while 17 suspects were minors.
50% of the detainees were eventually released without charge, while 105 people were charged with terror-related offences.
The number of individuals arrested for suspected international terrorism jumped by 60% from 184 to 294 compared with the previous year, and accounted for more than three quarters of all the arrests.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
Security Minister Ben Wallace said: “The figures released today show the tireless efforts of the police, security service and Crown Prosecution Service during what was an unprecedented period of terrorist activity in the UK.
“Everyone has a role to play in identifying and stopping the threat terrorists pose to the UK.”
The number of terror-related arrests has risen by 68% in the wake of recent attacks in the UK, the highest since records began.
Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner, Neil Basu, the senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said: “There is no doubt that since March and following the attacks in London and Manchester we have seen a shift-change in momentum.
“But while the terrorist threat has increased in recent months, so has our activity; reflected by this significant increase in arrests.”
The latest arrest figures chime with repeated warnings that the scale of the threat from violent extremism is unprecedented.
