This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6281388.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
UK facing '15-year terror threat' | UK facing '15-year terror threat' |
(30 minutes later) | |
The battle against the terror threat posed to the UK could last for 15 years, the new security minister has told the Sunday Telegraph. | |
Former navy chief Admiral Sir Alan West said the UK was fighting a "disparate core" of people, primarily based abroad, who were racist and bigoted. | |
He urged people to be "a little bit un-British" by "snitching" and telling the authorities of any threats. | |
He added that he "hated" the expression "war on terror". | |
"It's not like a war in that sense at all. It demeans the value of a war and it demeans the value of a lot of things," he said. | |
The people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life Admiral Sir Alan WestSecurity minister | The people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life Admiral Sir Alan WestSecurity minister |
Sir Alan, who was appointed by Gordon Brown last week, described those threatening Britain as "a disparate core of people - based abroad primarily - whom I'm afraid are racist, they're bigoted, they seek power, they're avaricious in money terms and they talk of the caliphate." | |
He added: "I don't like the fact that we talk about 'the Muslim community' and this sort of thing. | |
"I have a lot of Muslim friends and they see themselves as British. We've got to be very careful. The threat is to our British way of life and all of our British people." | |
He added: "Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone. | He added: "Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone. |
"I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life." | "I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life." |
Assessing the threat to the UK as greater than ever, he said: "This is not a quick thing. | |
"I believe it will take 10 to 15 years. But I think it can be done as long as we as a nation apply ourselves to it and it's done across the board." | |
His comments come the day after the second anniversary of the 7 July suicide bombings in London, and in the wake of the recent raised state of terror alert in the UK. | |
On Saturday, the Muslim Council of Britain issued a statement telling Muslims it was their "Islamic duty" to co-operate with the police to ensure Britain's safety. | On Saturday, the Muslim Council of Britain issued a statement telling Muslims it was their "Islamic duty" to co-operate with the police to ensure Britain's safety. |
It was agreed at a meeting in London held by the MCB and attended by more than 200 people, including imams, community activists and police representatives. |