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Scotland Yard prevents 13 terror plots in one year
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Evening Standard24.07.08
Thirteen terrorist networks have been disrupted by Scotland Yard in the past year, possibly foiling planned bombing campaigns, a report out today claims.
During the 12-month period there was an average of one suspected terrorist incident in London every other day, according to the report on Scotland Yard's Counter-Terrorism Command.
In total there were 181 recorded incidents, slightly higher than the previous year's figure of 177. Police also took 4,346 calls on the antiterrorism hotline.
The figures were revealed in a document due to be presented to the Metropolitan Police Authority today. The report's author, Superintendent Neil Haynes from Scotland Yard's Specialist Operations unit, said there would have been "significant variation in the impact" that disrupting the networks would have.
He added: "Some cases may result in the foiling of a planned major bombing campaign, others may reduce the funding or resources available to mount such an attack."
Last November, Jonathan Evans, the Director General of security service MI5, said it was aware of around 2,000 people involved in terrorist-related activity in the UK, admitting there could be a further 2,000 people of whom it was unaware.
