Page content section :
Community safety
Emergencies - Threat levels (national security)
From
1 August 2006, a five-tier warning system is being used to alert the
public to the threat of attacks by al-Qaeda and other terror groups. Details
of current threat levels will be published on the websites of the Home Office
and MI5, Home Secretary John Reid announced. It is intended to simplify the
current seven-tier system.
Announcing the plans, the Mr Reid told MPs that the terrorist threat would only be overcome by "united action by all of us".
He said : "The importance of the public remaining vigilant at all times and reporting any suspicious activities is still the key message".
The new system will show these five different threat levels :
- Low - an attack is unlikely
- Moderate - an attack is possible but not likely
- Substantial - strong possibility of an attack
- Severe - an attack is highly likely
- Critical - an attack is expected imminently
Please refer to the MI5 and Home Office websites using the links below to find out the current threat level and to find out what you should do :
- MI5 website (www.mi5.gov.uk)
- MI5
website : Current threat level (www.mi5.gov.uk/output/threat-levels.html)
- Home Office website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk)
- Home Office website : Current threat level (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/counter-terrorism/current-threat-level/index.html)
- Home
Office website : Security (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/counter-terrorism/what-you-can-do/index.html)
- For information on the threats abroad, travellers or British nationals overseas should consult the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website for country-specific advice (www.fco.gov.uk/).
