Terrorism in the UK more than trebles in five years with 10 per cent of offenders coming from just five wards in Birmingham, survey reveals

From the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Times

A major new study has revealed terror attacks in the UK have more than tripled in the last five years. 

The shocking report also reveals that Islamist-related offences have doubled in the last five years, while the rate of beheadings and stabbings has increased eleven-fold.

London and Birmingham have been identified as housing the most offenders, with East London home to half of London-based offenders (22 per cent overall), the most common boroughs being Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest. 

The study identifies all Islamism-inspired terrorism convictions and suicide attacks in the UK between 1998 and 2015. 

The 1,000-page report, published by the Hannah Stuart and the Henry Jackson Society, says Islamism-inspired terrorism remains the principal terrorism threat to both the United Kingdom and British interests overseas.

London was the place of residence at the time of arrest in 43 per cent of Islamism-related offences. 

The second most common region was the West Midlands, with 18 per cent of arrests – 14 per cent of which came from Birmingham.

The proportion of offenders who are “clean skins” — previously unknown to the authorities — has increased sharply, it says, suggesting a growing challenge for the security services.

Women’s involvement in Islamist terrorism, though still small, has trebled over the same period, according to the report. Stabbings or threats to behead have also increased, from just four incidents in 1998-2010 to 12 since, and now form almost half of attack-related convictions.

The study challenges many commonly held views about terrorists, such as the claim — made by the former Tory chairwoman Baroness Warsi, among others — that most are “radicalised in their bedrooms by being on the internet”.

It also dismisses claims that attacks are committed by “lone wolves”. Only 28 of the 269 acted alone. Almost 80%were affiliated to, inspired by, directed by or linked to extremist networks — notably Anjem Choudary’s al-Muhajiroun, linked to a quarter of all UK terror convictions.