Cressida Dick warns of terror ‘tempo change’ at Mansion House

Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick has warned of a change in tempo since March 2017, saying the ‘rhythm of work’ is very much increased for counter terrorist professionals. In a key note speech given at Mansion House, Cressida Dick acknowledged that terrorism has always existed, but identifies a ’shift’ in treat. She said that attacks that have taken place since March this year have been conducted by individuals with a primary domestic focus - they are ‘homegrown’. Unlike before, terrorists are using low tech and relatively unsophisticated methodologies, making detection for counter terrorist professionals harder. She also added: “We should not forget the threat posed by other violent extremists, particularly the extreme right wing and those motivated by racist hatred, so vividly shown in the appalling events at Finsbury Park. We are dealing here with fewer individuals, less coordinated or organised. But every year we see some with lethal intent brought to justice. As I speak, there are 14 Domestic Extremist individuals in custody, who had lethal capability and intent. “Their pernicious existence understandably creates huge fear in some of our minority communities. This is particularly relevant in this great global city, the most diverse on the planet, with well over a third of the country's BME population live in London. In fact, the Greater London Assembly estimates that by the mid-2030s, the proportion of the London population that identifies as BME will reach 50 per cent. “London has shown itself again and again to be highly integrated and resilient in every way, but we cannot take that for granted. Every incident of right wing extremism could drive more vulnerable young people into the arms of so called Islamist extremists. And, of course, the reverse is true. Terrorists seek to divide people.”