Dozens of 'late-stage' terror plots foiled since Arena bomb

THE security services have foiled 43 'late-stage' terror plots since March 2017 as new threats emerge from hostile nations such as Russia and China and a 'resurgent' Islamic State.

- JOHN SCHEERHOUT

The revelations were made by the director general of MI5 Ken McCallum as he delivered his annual terrorism threat assessment, saying his agency had 'one hell of a job on its hands. He also revealed the number of children involved in terrorism has tripled.

He reserved his most strident language for Russia whose security service, the GRU, was on a 'sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets' including 'arson, sabotage and more! Mr McCallum said: "Since March 2017, MI5 and the police together disrupted 43 late-stage attack plots. Some of those plotters were trying to get hold of firearms and explosives in the final days of planning mass murder. Our vital work together has saved lives."