Al Qaeda Recruiting UK Children

Guide Note

November 5, 2007: In a speech to the Society of Editors Conference, British intelligence agency (MI5) head Jonathan Evans warned that Al Qaeda had begun "grooming" children to carry out terror attacks in Britain.

Fast Facts

1. MI5 knows of at least 2,000 individuals who pose a "direct threat to national security and public safety"¹
2. Number increased from 1,600 a year before¹
3. Number could be as high as 4,000 including unknown terrorists²
4. Recruiting teenagers as young as 15³
5. Terror suspects can be held in Britain without charge for almost a month¹
6. Critics say speech intended to push legislation to increase this time to 56 days²
7. Intercepted terror plots becoming more complex¹
8. Most attacks and attempted attacks in Britain are organized by Al Qaeda and not isolated incidents¹
9. Speech was Jonathan Evans' first since joining MI5 in April, 2007