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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 18 OctOber 2017
UK intelligence chief says terror threat is worst of career

London. “That threat is “The scale at which we are to grow from 4,000 to 5,000
multi-dimensional, evolving operating is greater than over the next few years.
rapidly, and operating at a ever before,” he said. Parker cautioned, how-
scale and pace we’ve not Parker said MI5 has more ever, that it is impossible to
seen before.” than 500 live investigations stop every attack.
He noted a “dramatic up- involving roughly 3,000 peo- “Attacks will occur some-
shift” in the threat this year, ple known to be involved in times because this is a free
with successful attacks in extremist activities. society, a liberal democra-
London and Manchester In addition, he said, more cy, and we do not monitor
that killed 36 people com- than 20,000 individuals everybody all the time,” he
bined. have been scrutinized in said. “Nor would we want
“Twenty attacks in the U.K. the past for possible terror to live in a country that was
have been foiled over the ties and there are undoubt- like that.”
past four years,” Parker edly “violent extremists” The director called on
said. “Many more will have who have thus far not been technology companies to
Director General of MI5 Andrew Parker delivers a speech in been prevented by the detected by the Security work with the government
central London, on the security threat facing Britain, Tuesday early interventions we and Service. on preventing their social
Oct. 17, 2017. Britain’s domestic intelligence chief says the the police make. There The risk is further height- media platforms from be-
country is facing the worst terrorist threat he’s seen his 34-year have been a record num- ened by the possible return ing used by extremists for
career. ber of terrorism-related to Britain of citizens who communications that can-
(Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)
By GREGORY KATZ cy, also known as the Se- arrests: 379 in the year to joined the Islamic State not be monitored.
group in Syria and Iraq, When asked if Facebook
June.”
Associated Press curity Service, is constantly He said continental Europe Parker said. and Google were doing
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s expanding and upgrading has faced a similar surge, He said MI5 is well-equipped enough on this front, Parker
domestic intelligence chief its capability, but cannot particularly in France, Bel- to cope with the deepen- declined to discuss specific
warned during a rare pub- realistically prevent all at- gium, Germany and Spain.
lic speech Tuesday that the tacks targeting civilians. ing threat, with its ranks set companies.q
terrorist threat the coun- “In 2017, with all that has
try faces has accelerated happened and much that
at an alarming pace and has not, it is clear that we
is worse now than at any are contending with an
time in his 34-year career. intense U.K. terrorist threat
MI5 Director General An- from Islamist extremists,”
drew Parker said his agen- Parker told journalists in

EU Brexit chief urges Britain

to keep up the momentum

By LORNE COOK on the divorce bill, the
Associated Press rights of citizens hit by Brexit
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- and the status of the North-
ropean Union’s Brexit ne- ern Ireland-Ireland border.
gotiator urged the British May believes these issues
government Tuesday to are deeply linked to future
keep up the momentum in EU-U.K. relations, and that
negotiations on leaving the it all should be discussed
bloc if it wants the talks to as a package. EU lead-
advance to a new phase ers are unlikely to broaden
in December. the talks at their two-day
“It’s very important to summit starting Thursday
maintain this constructive but might do so when
dynamic in the coming they meet again in Brus-
two months,” Michel Bar- sels in December. May and
nier told reporters in Luxem- Juncker said in a statement
bourg. Barnier held dinner late Monday that the Brexit
talks Monday with British talks “should accelerate
Prime Minister Theresa May over the months to come.”
and European Commis- But it’s unclear exactly
sion President Jean-Claude what that means. Barnier
Juncker as London seeks is mindful that time is fast
to broaden the Brexit ne- running out for a deal to
gotiations, around a year be sealed before Britain
before the highly technical leaves on March 29, 2019
and complex talks must be and has already offered
completed to leave time to speed things up. Britain
for parliaments to endorse too wants to move on, but
any agreement. the size of the divorce bill
The EU says it will only dis- — estimated at anywhere
cuss future relations with between 60 and 100 billion
Britain once “sufficient euros ($70-120 billion) — re-
progress” has been made mains the biggest hurdle.q