UK official warns of terror threat

Britain’s chief anti-terrorism official has raised the alarm over the danger of terror related to crisis in Syria.

Releasing the Home Office’s annual counter-terrorism report on Wednesday, Charles Farr said Syria-related terrorism is the main challenge facing the UK security services.

He also stated that hundreds of British nationals have travelled from Britain to support terrorist groups operating against the Syrian government.

“Counter-terrorism work by the UK has got more challenging and harder [in the past 12 months],” the security official said.

In February, Farr had warned that the security threat from those militants inside Syria is “the biggest challenge” facing the police and intelligence agencies since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Some 22 people had their British nationality revoked last year on suspicion of terrorist involvement.

According to Western government sources, thousands of foreigners are currently in Syria, operating alongside extremist and terrorist groups, to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

UK intelligence sources told the Daily Telegraph in December last year that from among the 1,000 Westerners operating against the Syrian government over 300 are British nationals.

Several Western countries, including Britain, have played a major role in fanning the flames of turmoil in Syria by arming and training militants.

Syria has been gripped by deadly crisis since 2011.