The UK Threat Levels refer to the alert state

Alert state

An alert state is an indication of the state of readiness of the armed forces for military action or a State against terrorism or military attack.Examples are the DEFCON levels of the US armed forces, and the British government's UK Threat Levels....

 that has been in use since 1 August 2006 by the British government to warn of forms of terrorist

Terrorism

Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...

 activity. Before then a colour based alert scheme known as BIKINI state was used. The response indicates how government departments and agencies and their staffs should react to each threat level.

Categories of threat

Since 24 September 2010, the Home Office

Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

 has been reporting three different categories of terrorist threat:

• Threat from international terrorism.
• Terrorism threat related to Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland itself.
• Terrorism threat related to Northern Ireland in Great Britain.

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) is responsible for setting the threat level from international terrorism and the Security Service (MI5

MI5

The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...

) is responsible for setting both threat levels related to Northern Ireland.

Threat levels

Threat level		Response
Critical	An attack is expected imminently.	style="background: white;"|>XCEPTIONAL |}>	Maximum protective security measures to meet specific threats and to minimise vulnerability and risk. Critical may also be used if a nuclear attack is expected.
Severe	An attack is highly likely.	style="background: white;"|HEIGHTENED |}> Additional and sustainable protective security measures reflecting the broad nature the threat combined with specific business and geographical vulnerabilities and judgements on acceptable risk Substantial An attack is a strong possibility. Moderate An attack is possible, but not likely. style="background: white;"|NORMAL |}> Routine protective security measures appropriate to the business concerned Low An attack is unlikely. History MI5 MI5 The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence... currently maintains a history of threat levels. Date Threat level 1 August 2006 Severe 10 August 2006 Critical 13 August 2006 Severe 30 June 2007 Critical 4 July 2007 Severe 20 July 2009 Substantial 22 January 2010 Severe Date International terrorism Irish related terrorism 24 September 2010 Severe GB: substantial. NI: severe 11 July 2011 – present Substantial GB: substantial. NI: severe External links Current Threat Level, Home Office Threat Levels history from 1 August 2006, MI5 The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL. Silverdale Interactive © 2024. All Rights Reserved.   x OK