This note has come from PM Gordon Brown's office.
"Downing Street and the White House have agreed to intensify joint US-UK work to tackle the emerging terrorist threat from both Yemen and Somalia, in the wake of the failed Detroit terror plot.
Amongst the initiatives the PM has agreed with President Obama is US-UK funding for a special counter-terrorism police unit in Yemen.
The UK is one of the largest development donors to the Yemen and is already helping to train Yemeni counter-terrorism officials.
The increased UK-US joint working, which has been discussed in a series of phone calls since the failed plot, will also include support for the Yemeni coastguard operation.
In Somalia, the PM and President believe that a larger peacekeeping force is required and will support this at the UN Security Council.
The PM has also asked that the evolving threat from Yemen and Somalia be placed on the agenda for the January EU General Affairs Council, and he will discuss with counterparts at the next EU Council meeting.
He also intends to push for stronger action on Yemen from the Financial Action Task Force.
The PM has also called a special meeting of the National Security, International Relations and Development (NSID) Cabinet committee to discuss further the UK’s response to the attempted attack last week. The Committee oversees UK security issues and includes security and military chiefs. This week the PM will hold urgent discussions with Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and senior advisers on intelligence and security, ahead of the NSID meeting.
This follows the urgent review of airport security ordered by the PM in the immediate aftermath of last week’s events in the US. He expects preliminary findings in days and has pledged to move quickly to improve security wherever necessary.
In an article for the Downing Street website on Friday, the PM made clear his determination to ensure that the UK remains vigilant in the face of the evolving threat from al-Qaeda and reiterated that the UK must never be complacent about the threat of terrorism.
NSID:
Prime Minister (Chair)
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alternate Chair)
Secretary of State for the Home Department (Alternate Chair)
First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lord President of the Council
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Secretary of State for International Development
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Transport
Attorney General"
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1 comment:
Hi,
I have to wonder if we aren't missing the real story here. One guy, apparently more than a little nuts relative to the 9/11 attackers, tried and failed to take over a plane. He was frustrated by his fellow passengers.
We have responded by focusing on the incompetence of the expensive defences constructed since 9/11. Fine. But this wasn't much of an attack. AQ and LeT don't seem to be putting much effort into attacks on aircraft. What are they putting effort into attacking, and how well are their attacks doing?
Ray,
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