THREAT LEVELS

table of contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Current threat level
  3. How threat levels are decided
  4. possible levels of threat and meaning
  5. How to respond to threat levels  
  6. Historic data 
  7. References and useful links

1. Introduction: What are threat levels

Threat levels are a system used by government and security agencies to communicate the current level of risk or likelihood of a terrorist attack or other security threats. These threat levels are often color-coded or use descriptive terms to convey the degree of threat, and they serve several key purposes:

  1. Public Awareness: Threat levels are primarily intended to inform the general public, businesses, and organizations about the current level of risk they face from potential terrorist activities or other security threats.

  2. Security Preparedness: They help security practitioners, including law enforcement, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators, assess the level of security measures that may be necessary to protect against potential threats.

  3. Resource Allocation: The threat levels assist authorities in allocating resources effectively. When the threat level is elevated, additional security measures may be put in place, such as increased police presence at public events or heightened airport security.

  4. Risk Assessment: Businesses and organizations can use threat levels to evaluate their own risk and make informed decisions about their security protocols and preparedness.

  5. Public Confidence: By openly sharing threat levels with the public, authorities aim to maintain public confidence and trust in the government’s efforts to address security threats.

 Protect UK [1], MI5 [2]
 

2. Current threat level 

The current national threat level has been declared as: SUBSTANTIAL [1], [2] 
publication date by  www.protectuk.police.uk : 12/03/2022
Screenshot 2023-09-11 170055

Image source: Protect UK [1] 

3. How threat levels are decided

Determining threat levels involves a multi-faceted assessment process:

  • The national threat level for the UK pertaining to all forms of terrorism, encompassing various ideologies such as Islamist, extreme right-wing, LASIT, and Northern Ireland-related threats, is established by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).

  • For Northern Ireland specifically, the threat level is independently determined by the Security Services.

  • When evaluating the appropriate threat level for a given situation, several key factors are considered:

    1. Available Intelligence: Specific, credible threat information is infrequent. Typically, threat assessments rely on a diverse range of information, often incomplete or fragmented. This includes analysis of current terrorist activities, international comparisons, and past attacks. Intelligence provides only a partial view of the overall situation.

    2. Terrorist Capability: An examination of the known capabilities of the involved terrorists and their potential methods, drawing insights from past attacks and gathered intelligence. This assessment also considers the potential scale of an attack.

    3. Terrorist Intentions: Intelligence and publicly available data are used to understand the overarching goals of the terrorist groups, their strategies, and the types of targets they might contemplate attacking.

    4. Timescale: The threat level conveys the likelihood of an attack happening in the near future. While some attacks are meticulously planned over years, others are expedited. In the absence of precise intelligence, experts must make a judgment regarding how close an attack might be to occurring. Threat levels are subject to periodic review to ensure their current relevance.

Protect UK [1]
 

4. Possible levels of threat and meaning 

Threat levels are intended to provide a general assessment of the probability of a terrorist attack:

  • LOW signifies that an attack is highly improbable.
  • MODERATE suggests that an attack is feasible but not probable.
  • SUBSTANTIAL indicates that an attack is probable.
  • SEVERE conveys that an attack is highly probable.
  • CRITICAL signifies that an attack is highly probable in the immediate future.
 
MI5 [2]

5. How to respond to threat levels  

Threat levels, by themselves, do not necessitate specific actions from the public. They serve as tools for security professionals in various sectors, including Critical  and law enforcement, to assess the need for protective security measures.

However, remaining vigilant is crucial, irrespective of the current national threat level. This is especially true given the prevailing national threat conditions. Sharing national threat levels with the general public is essential as it provides important context for understanding security measures encountered in daily life, such as those at airports or during bag searches.

If you possess information regarding potential terrorist activity, please contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline at 0800 789 321. The Anti-Terrorist Hotline is designated for reporting tips and confidential information. In the event of immediate threats like possible explosives, please dial 999.

MI5 [2]

6. Historic data

 

National threat level

DateThreat Level
9 February 2022SUBSTANTIAL
15 November 2021SEVERE
4 February 2021SUBSTANTIAL
3 November 2020SEVERE
4 November 2019SUBSTANTIAL
23 July 2019SEVERE

 

MI5[2]

 

Threat levels prior to July 2019

 

Date

Threat from international terrorism

Threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism

in Northern Ireland

in Great Britain

1 March 2018

SEVERE

SEVERE

MODERATE

17 September 2017

SEVERE

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

15 September 2017

CRITICAL

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

27 May 2017

SEVERE

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

23 May 2017

CRITICAL

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

11 May 2016

SEVERE

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

29 August 2014

SEVERE

SEVERE

MODERATE

24 October 2012

SUBSTANTIAL

SEVERE

MODERATE

11 July 2011

SUBSTANTIAL

SEVERE

SUBSTANTIAL

24 September 2010

SEVERE

SEVERE

(first published)

SUBSTANTIAL

(first published)

22 January 2010

SEVERE

  

20 July 2009

SUBSTANTIAL

  

4 July 2007

SEVERE

  

30 June 2007

CRITICAL

  

13 August 2006

SEVERE

  

10 August 2006

CRITICAL

  

1 August 2006

SEVERE

(first published)

  

MI5 [2]

7. References and useful links  

  1. Protect UK Police. Threat Levels. [Online]. Available at: https://www.protectuk.police.uk/threat-levels. Accessed September 11, 2023. [1]

  2. MI5. Threat Levels. [Online]. Available at: https://www.mi5.gov.uk/threat-levels. Accessed September 11, 2023. [2]