West Midlands warned over 'inevitable' terror threat

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has warned that the existence of a “significant” terror threat in the region is inevitable.

Paul Scott-Lee said it was not surprising the Midlands had featured in terror inquiries and praised strong communities across the force area who wanted to bring terrorists and criminals to justice.

The police chief was speaking following the recent major anti-terror operation launched into an alleged plot to down US-bound jetliners with improvised bombs, which included raids in Birmingham.

Mr Scott-Lee told BBC Midlands Today: “Most of the inquiries that take place in Britain in some form or another have a connection with the Midlands and that shouldn’t surprise us. But it is a reality we have to live with.

“The real strength we have though is wherever we look, the communities, the individuals who live, work and come to the West Midlands are as anxious as anyone else to actually identify the terrorists, identify the criminals, and get them dealt with by the police.

“So we have got a real strength of community behind us, but we have to be realistic living where we are in the country (that) there is going to be a significant threat happening here.”