The UK government on Friday, August 29, 2014 raised its terror threat level from substantial to severe, the fourth highest of five levels.
It is the first time the threat level has been at “severe” since 2011 when it was reduced to “substantial”
“That means that a terrorist attack is highly likely, but there is no intelligence to suggest that an attack is imminent,” Home Secretary, Theresa May, said.
She added: “The increase in the threat level is related to developments in Syria and Iraq, where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the West.”
Mrs May insisted there was no intelligence to suggest an attack was imminent but that the “first and most important duty of government is the protection of the British people”.
However, the change also comes less than a week before a Nato summit in south Wales which will see the biggest ever gathering of heads of state in the UK.
