brittiska säkerhetstjänsten, har gjort
ett av sina sällsynta framträdanden.
I ett tal inför Olympiaden i London
varnade han för att hundratals brittiska
medborgare fått terroristutbildning i
Mellanöstern. Länder som Somalia,
Jemen, Libyen, Nigeria och Egypten
producerar idag militanta islamister
redo att begå terrordåd i Europa.
Risken för ett stort terrordåd mot
Olympiaden måste bedömas som
betydande...
**
Britons are increasingly heading to the Middle
East for terrorist training in preparation for
attacks in the wake of the Arab Spring, the
head of MI5 has said.
Jonathan Evans, the director-general of the
Security Service, warned that parts of the
Arab world were becoming a more per-
missive environment for al Qaida and Britons
were travelling there to "seek training and
opportunities for militant activity".
Some will return to the UK and pose a
threat and the situation "could get worse
as events unfold", he said.
It is believed that up to 200 British residents
and nationals are currently in the Arab world
and either involved in training camps, being
radicalised or operationally active with terror
groups.
"Today parts of the Arab world have once
more become a permissive environment for
al Qaida," he said.
"A small number of British would be jihadis
are also making their way to Arab countries
to seek training and opportunities for militant
activity, as they do in Somalia and Yemen.
"Some will return to the UK and pose a threat
here. This is a new and worrying development
and could get worse as events unfold.
So we will have to manage the short-term risks
if there is to be a longer-term reward from the
Arab Spring."
Yemen, Libya, Nigeria and Egypt are all
understood to pose a risk.
***
