UK fears ‘spectacular’ Islamic State attacks as group wages war on Western lifestyles

The UK is facing the threat of “enormous and spectacular attacks” by Islamic State (IS), as the extremist group aims to wage war on Western lifestyles, the national head of counter-terrorism has warned.

Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner, Mark Rowley, said that while in the past few years the Islamist group has called on would-be jihadis to attack police and the military, their plots are now broader “plans to attack Western lifestyle”.

He said: “In recent months, we’ve seen a broadening of that, much more plans to attack Western lifestyle, and, obviously, the Paris attacks in November.