What we face

The threat from terrorism remains real and serious

Britain is used to the changing nature of the terrorist threat. For a number of years we lived with a heightened state of threat from Irish Republican terrorism. More recently, the threat from international terrorism has increased, notably since the September 11 attacks.

In this new environment we must also remain vigilant to new types of threat, including from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons and also from attacks on IT and computer systems. Events in Bali in October, in Mombasa in November, and in Riyadh and Casablanca in May show that terrorists are prepared to attack the least well-protected targets.

Who poses a threat

The threat now comes not only from established groups with clearly defined targets, but also from unaffiliated, loose-knit networks of individuals with a much broader agenda.

The principal threats come from international terrorism, and in particular, extremist groups, including those who erroneously claim to be acting for Islam; and nationalist, separatist, and other violent terrorist groups.

We do not see the Muslim community as a threat.

The Home Secretary will continue to keep under close review any threats to national security, wherever they come from, and will take whatever action is necessary to protect the public. This is best achieved by a range of measures that accurately target those individuals and groups that pose a threat.

We are working hard behind the scenes

We will continue to give the police and the security and intelligence agencies the support and the resources they need to do their job and protect our country. But no matter how good our intelligence operations may be, there is no such thing as 100% security, and British citizens remain at risk from international terrorism and that related to the affairs of Northern Ireland.

We are working hard to protect you from any possible threat from terrorists now and for years to come. And we are constantly looking for new ways to ensure we are doing everything we can on the ground to make Britain safer, without disrupting our lives so much that the terrorists have won by default.

Our jobs and prosperity depend on us enjoying our lives, not living in fear - which includes citizens of all religions being able to practise their faiths in peace.

Keeping you informed

If a warning is necessary to protect safety, we will issue it without hesitation. If you need to take specific action, we will issue new advice and information.

We are committed to being honest about the threats we face and to putting as much information in the public domain as we can. Of course, this must be done in a way that does not compromise security or unnecessarily raise fears. Knowing what basic self-protection steps to take, and understanding the work going on behind the scenes to protect us all, can help us stay alert but not alarmed. (See 'What you can do' and 'What Government is doing'.)

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