The UK Fight against International Terrorism - Essay Example

The UK had always faced real threats on terrorism at all times. The UK has been the closest ally of the US in the fight against international terrorism. Moreover, the UK has sent troops to support the peace efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Terrorism threatens the most fundamental and most important human right of all – the right to life. British citizens have been recruited by terror cells to carry out attacks from within. There have been numerous terror attack plots against UK citizens such as the London and Glasgow incidents of June 2007 and Exeter in May 2008. The most recent threat was the planned bombing by 8 men of several transatlantic flights using homemade liquid explosion devices. A British intelligence service surveillance device planted inside an east London flat had relayed pictures of the main terror suspect, Tanvir Hussain who drilled holes into the bottom of a 500ml drink bottle. The aim of this Al Qaida terror group was to blow-up British transatlantic airlines. The original juice drink were to be replaced with a homemade liquid explosive before a dye was added so it appeared to be the same color as the original drink. The UK law enforcement officials successfully thwarted the plot (BBC, July 7, 2009). The UK currently has a specified national structure of coordination to deal with international terrorism, composed of veritable agencies such as the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, the COBRA (the government emergency coordinating committee), the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy, the Ministerial Committee on Intelligence Services, the Joint Intelligence Committee, MI6, GCHQ, MI5, and the New Scotland Yard and many other elements. The government makes UK borders more secure, makes identity theft harder, and limits terrorist access to financial sources (NTSC Briefing Paper, 2005). The UK government has also ensured several forms of protection against potential nuclear and biological threats and attacks. On the issue of preparedness for terrorism attacks, the UK Government has implemented the Countering Terrorism Strategy since 2009. The security people and resources are in place to respond effectively to the consequences of an external and internal terrorist attacks. The government implements a four-pronged counter-terrorism policy. The first policy is to Pursue or to stop terrorist attacks. The second policy is to Prevent – to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism. The third policy is to Protect – to strengthen our protection against terrorist attack. The fourth policy is to Prepare – where an attack cannot be stopped, to mitigate its negative impacts. (UK Counter-terrorism Strategy, 2009). The Government spends £3.5 billion a year on counter- terrorism and security measures. The private sector is also encouraged to invest in security and information technology infrastructure. However, despite the implementation and updating of these national UK counter-terrorism policies, the July 7, 2005 London train bombing and the Nigerian Christmas bomber incident still happened. Fifty-two people were killed in the four bombs that had exploded in London on 7 July 2005. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a long-time British resident in London had attempted to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane in December 2009. However, Mr. Abdulmutallab failed to carry out his deadly plot since he was quickly overpowered by the crew and passengers. A US federal judge at a hospital had formally charged Mr. Abdulmutallab while he was recovering from his wounds. As part of the ongoing investigation then, the British police and security forces searched his London flat for forensic evidence after the incident. Mr. Abdulmutallab have lived and studied in London for some time but the British intelligence services had no prior knowledge about his recruitment to the Al Qaida terrorist network. Even the US security officials had suffered from recent serious breaches in security with respect to terrorists. Mr. Abdulmutallabs name had been added to a US security watch-list known as Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (Tide). However, his name was not yet placed on the Terrorist Screening Data Base, that includes a no-fly list. The device found on Mr. Abdulmutallab had contained the high explosive pentaerythritol that is capable of blowing up an entire airline. They have tried to counter this by updating the list regularly. These continuing and persistent terror threats had made British terrorism experts consider and apply the current American practice of securing its borders by screening tourists both from the developing and developed countries. Recently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano signed an agreement with several countries on new aviation preclearance security operations. These aviation security agreements covers all commercial and private aircraft. These new measures were meant to implement the screening process before these aircrafts arrives in the United States, assisting US law enforcement officers with advance notification of persons traveling to the U.S. and helping them identify and mitigate potential threats before they arrive on US soil. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will screen private aircraft for radiological and nuclear threats.  The preclearance activities of US general aviation have begun as the US has invested in facilities and equipment to facilitate the screening of private and commercial aircrafts. The airline passengers with CBP pre-clearance will be treated as domestic passengers upon arrival in the U.S. In this new system, the U.S. airports can expect fewer passenger delays.  All of the private aircraft flying through Bermuda were obliged to utilize CBP pre-clearance facilities to take advantage of the program. The CBP gives information to private aircraft operators on preclearance operations for general aviation.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had required international travelers from all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that they are obliged to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the United States. This requirement applies to all eligible citizens. This strategy is part of the agency’s efforts to collect information from visa waiver travelers for some time. The DHS hopes to increase efficiency in screening and admitting international travelers at US ports of entry. The ESTA is a web-based system that screens the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the United States. It was launched in January 2009. The international travelers who insist on traveling without an approved ESTA are given orientation that they may eventually be denied aircraft final boarding, experience delayed processing, and be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry. The DHS got authorization for VWP reforms via the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. The VWP allows eligible citizens of designated countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a US visa. The VWP countries are strictly obliged to maintain high counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border control, and document security standards. The citizens of the these countries are currently eligible to travel to the United States under the VWP: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (DHS, 2009). Currently, the UK threat level is labeled as severe. This means that a terror attack is highly likely. This system helps police and other law enforcement agencies know how to allocate staff. The threat level represents the likelihood of an attack in the near future. Based on prior experience, the terror attacks that have taken place in London have taken years to plan, but other terror attacks have been put together swiftly. The UK government has placed a high priority in guarding the UKs essential services such as the communications, emergency services, energy, finance, food, government, health, transportation and water sectors. The Joint Committee of the Intelligence Services protects the critical national infrastructure (CNI) pertaining to those infrastructure assets whether physical or electronic that is essential. The loss or compromise of these CNI services results in negative economic and social consequences and ultimately to the loss of lives. This counter-terrorism strategy already involves thousands of police and intelligence officers and the emergency services. The strategy is closely coordinated with prevailing counter- insurgency work overseas, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, that is capably handled by the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The UK Home Office is also assisting individuals who may be attractive for recruitment, and for those who had already been recruited by violent extremists. This guidance provides local security partners with advice on implementing the security protocol. The security offficers have a description of indicators that may suggest someone is turning towards terrorism and provides advice on the support that can be provided to protect those at risk. Hence, the UK Government can also implement a web-based system that is similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system of the US. The ESTA system can specifically screen and verify all international travelers who are seeking to travel to the UK under the Visa Waiver Program. These enhanced security requirements are in consonance with UK security efforts to protect the state. All eligible travelers who wish to travel to the UK under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization using the process. Effective command and control is essential to successfully manage a counter-terrorist event. To implement this better, the UK can also come up with an updated Terrorist Listing of known Al Quaida operatives and followers in Europe so as to efficiently do constant surveillance and interception strategies and operations. The UK can also have a no-fly list for certain British nationals who had been identified with previous criminal records. This new system will cover new work to counter the robust, independently monitored safeguards and checks. A new system of screening incoming international visitors for criminal or terrorist records, including those who enjoy the waiver program in entering the UK is a timely response to the increasing threat of international terrorism. Protecting the lives of its citizens against terrorist attacks remains a significant, fundamental task of the UK Government. This right to life outweighs any complaints regarding invasion to privacy issues by these international tourists. Works Cited Dodd, Vikram. The drink bottle that could have downed a plane. BBC, September 7, 2009. US Department of Homeland Security. “Secretary Napolitano Signs Agreement on Aviation Preclearance Security Operations with Bermuda.” April 23, 2009. Office of the US Press Secretary. UK Chatham House. Security, Terrorism and the UK ISP/NSCBriefing Paper, 2005. UK Home Office. The UK Countering Terrorism Strategy. 2009. Read More