David Anderson QC publishes detailed report on terrorist attacks of March-June 2017
Following the terrorist attacks that took place on the UK mainland between March and June this year, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd commissioned former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson QC (pictured), to provide independent assurance of the internal MI5 and police reviews. Anderson has now published his detailed report.
The UK is facing an intense threat from terrorism: one which is multi-dimensional, evolving rapidly and operating at a scale and pace we’ve not witnessed before now. This has been tragically demonstrated in the attacks during 2017, resulting in the senseless loss of 36 lives and injuries to many. Terrible events like those that occurred in Manchester and central London and the shift in the threat means that we must continually challenge ourselves and adapt what we do.
Investigations into the attacks continue and the Security Service is determined to do everything in its power to ensure that, wherever possible, those responsible for such attacks are brought to justice.
MI5 and the police service are committed to learning and improving as quickly as possible in order to meet the threat and remain global leaders in countering terrorism.
MI5 and the police commissioned very detailed internal reviews of the 2017 attacks and an overarching Operational Improvement Review (OIR). The internal reviews considered what was known before the attacks, how processes operated and the implications for counter-terrorism work in the future. The OIR sought to identify improvements to the counter-terrorism machine and involved the security and intelligence agencies and Government partners.