Security expert gives insight into counter terrorism
Wednesday 9 May 2018
A LEADING security expert will provide an insight into how the police and MI5 respond to terrorist threats during an event in London this week.
Dr Samantha Newbery, Lecturer in Contemporary Intelligence Studies at the University of Salford, will deliver the University’s London Alumni Lecture on The Challenges Of Counter-Terrorism: Policing, Intelligence, Soldiers and Legislation.
The event, aimed at the University’s alumni and supporters, takes place at Westminster’s Churchill War Rooms – the underground complex that housed the British government command centre throughout World War Two – on Thursday May 10.
Dr Newbery, who runs the University’s online Masters in Terrorism and Security and co-authored the book Why Spy? with former Deputy Chief of MI6 Brian Stewart, will talk about the methods used by police and security services to prevent attacks and stop terrorist groups from recruiting new members.
Investigations following recent attacks
She will also talk about the investigations that followed recent cases such as last year’s Manchester Arena and London attacks.
Dr Newbery, who is currently writing a book about the use of informers in Northern Ireland, will discuss how many of the British counter terrorism methods being used today had their origin during The Troubles, and will also talk about the threat posed by right-wing extremist groups
Many attacks can be prevented – going back as far as stopping a potential attacker being radicalised in the first place, and these of course are the cases we often don’t get to hear about
She said: “While a lot of the media coverage of the recent attacks in London and Manchester was critical of the police and intelligence services’ counter terrorism efforts, we also know that at least 20 Islamist terror attacks have been thwarted in the UK over the last four years.
“Sadly, it is impossible to prevent all attacks taking place, because we know a lot of them are planned at very short notice. However, many can be prevented – going back as far as stopping a potential attacker being radicalised in the first place, and these of course are the cases we often don’t get to hear about.
“The UK has a huge amount of experience in preventing terror attacks, and I’ll be looking at some of the approaches that are used, how these techniques evolved, and some of the things that could be done better.”
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