UK Faces “Smouldering” Terror Threat as Youth Radicalisation Rises

The UK is grappling with a substantial terrorism threat level, with concerns over young people as young as 10 being radicalized online, warned Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the national co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing. Since 2017, police and security services have thwarted 43 late-stage terror plots, three of which were in the past year. Evans highlighted the growing access to “horrific” online material, including violent, misogynistic, and racist content, as well as extreme pornography and material linked to “incel” culture and school massacres, which she said contribute to a “conveyor belt” of radicalization.

Evans emphasized that the primary threat continues to come from Islamist extremism, though far-right extremism is also on the rise. Counter-terrorism officers disrupted three imminent attack plots in the past year—two Islamist and one far-right. She warned of the risks posed by global instability, particularly in Syria, where the fall of Bashar al-Assad could create opportunities for extremist groups like the Islamic State to thrive. Supporting banned organizations such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham remains a criminal offense in the UK, Evans added.

The senior officer called for a “whole-system approach,” urging technology companies to assist in countering the spread of radical content online. She stressed the need to monitor “deep, dark hot spots” of extremist activity to maintain security and prevent self-initiated terrorists from committing “horrific acts.”

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