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Thursday, March 28, 2024

UK Authorities Call on Public to Report Suspected Extremist Activity

As part of the ongoing “ACT – Action Counters Terrorism” campaign, UK Counter Terrorism Policing is calling on the public to report any suspicious online content or activity.

This comes as the UK’s specialist unit that deals with online terrorist material revealed that as well as taking down over 300,000 pieces of terrorist material, the unit has also provided key evidence and information in 226 counter terrorism investigations since it was established in 2010.

“It’s vital that if the public see something online they think could be terrorist-related that they ACT and flag it up to us,” said Commander Clarke Jarrett, head of the Counter Terrorism Command.

“Our Counter Terrorist Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) has specialist officers who not only take action to get content removed, but also, increasingly, are in a position to look at those behind online content – which is leading to more and more investigations.”

Online terrorist-related material can be reported via http://gov.uk/act

In 2010, the UK established the world’s first ever Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU), hosted within the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, to tackle the rise in terrorist-related material that was appearing on the Internet.

Since the CTIRU’s launch, just over 304,000 pieces of terrorist-related material have been removed from the Internet. The majority of this content relates to Islamist extremism, but the unit has also seen an increase over the past year in content related to extreme right-wing ideology.

Around a quarter (481 = 26 percent) of all public referrals (1,849) into the unit since March 2017 related to extreme right-wing material, although the vast majority of public referrals still relate to Islamist extremism.

In previous years the CTIRU has been focused on getting terrorist content removed from the Internet. But as their work and relationship with internet providers has developed to a point where more and more of the material is being removed automatically by the content providers themselves, the unit has been able to shift focus towards investigations.

As a result, over 226 counter-terrorism investigations across the UK have been supported or been provided with key evidence and information from the CTIRU.

Read more at Metropolitan Police

UK Authorities Call on Public to Report Suspected Extremist Activity Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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