POOL RE SOLUTIONS
Terrorism Insights
Concise analysis and expert comment on the latest developments, issues, and trends in terrorism. Explore a range of thought leadership including series on cyber terrorism, CBRN and climate change.
![[Report] Terrorist Exploitation of Artificial Intelligence: Current Risks and Future Applications](https://assets.poolre.co.uk/sitefiles/2024/04/AdobeStock_555343668-400x250.jpg)
Terrorist Exploitation of Artificial Intelligence: Current Risks and Future Applications
Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to have wide ranging, transformational, and often beneficial, impacts on society. However, like all technology, AI also carries the potential for misuse by nefarious actors including Terrorists and Violent Extremists (TVEs)....
How to Stay Safe During the Festive Period
As the festive period approaches, it is important to remember that the UK faces a diverse and evolving terrorism threat. Among others, the 2016 Berlin Christmas Market and 2018 Strasbourg attacks act as a reminder of the intent of terrorist actors globally to conduct...
Weapons from the Russia-Ukraine War: An Emerging Source of Terrorism Threat in the UK?
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 15 minutes “Our borders are not as secure as they should be and much greater efforts should be made to prevent the illegal transportation of weapons and people into the country. It would be naive in the extreme to...
Israel and Hamas conflict – the potential impact outside of its borders
“It has always been the case that lots of would-be-terrorists in the UK draw inspiration through their distorted understanding of what is happening in other countries.” - Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, 2023.[1] The current conflict between Israel and Hamas has...
Exploring the Importance of In-Person Radicalisation to Understand the UK Terrorism Threat
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes Since 2010, in-person radicalisation has been linked to the majority of significant terrorism-related incidents in the UK. At the same time, rates of online radicalisation have been increasing rapidly...
The Leadership Gap: al-Qa’ida after the Death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Junior Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes The former leader of al-Qa’ida, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was reportedly killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan on 31 July 2022. al-Qa’ida has not yet confirmed the death of al-Zawahiri or announced a new...
The King’s Coronation: ‘As we celebrate together, let’s keep each other safe’
Author: Calum Ronald, Senior Risk ConsultantRead Time: 3 minutesThousands of people across the country will be attending celebratory events this weekend, ranging from official Coronation ceremonies in Central London, to local street parties and community events. ‘As...
Manchester Arena Inquiry: If the worst were to happen, would you be adequately prepared?
At 22:31 on 22 May 2017, Salman Abedi detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Attended largely by teenagers and children, the horrifying result was the murder of twenty-two people and injury to over 800 people,...
Martyn’s Law Gov Update Dec 2022
Pool Re welcomes Protect Duty announcement NEWS RELEASE - 19 December 2022Pool Re, Britain’s leading terrorism reinsurer, today welcomes the UK government’s announcement of its upcoming Protect Duty legislation, also known as Martyn’s Law. In a statement yesterday the...
Pool Re and Security in the Aviation Industry
Earlier this year Pool Re's Senior Risk Consultant, Mark Susca, provided an interview to Counter Terror Business to discuss 'Pool Re and Security in the aviation industry'. Mark, you recently joined Pool Re as a Senior Risk Consultant. Tell us a little about your...
Are you Protect Duty prepared?
In the recent Queen's speech, the Government announced they would be introducing a draft terrorism bill called Protect Duty. The implications of the legislation could be far reaching, possibly affecting tens of thousands (if not more) businesses throughout the UK....
Cyber Terrorism: Far-right extremists’ use of social media – an explainer
Our online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The third instalment examines far-right...
Cyber Terrorism: Islamic State’s effective exploitation of social media
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The second instalment examines IS’ tactics and practices and the impact its social media strategy has on recruitment and propaganda.
Cyber Terrorism: Understanding online radicalisation
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The first article examines the role of the...
UK Cyber Security: A New Approach?
The risk of Russian cyber retaliation in response to Western sanctions over Ukraine is just one pressing reason why the UK’s new national cyber strategy is so important.
Review of the Home Office Protect Duty Consultation Report January 2022
On 10th January 2022, the Minister for Security and Borders at the Home Office, Damian Hinds MP, released a report summarising the findings from the public consultation for the proposed Protect Duty legislation that will require owners and/or operators of Publicly Accessible Locations (PALs) to take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from terrorist attack.
Hospitality & High Streets – short guide to festive terrorism risk management planning
Retail and hospitality businesses will no doubt be looking forward to a busy festive period, many of which have endured an incredibly difficult past 18 months due to pandemic lockdowns. However, as high streets, bars and restaurants become a hive of activity the UK Counter Terrorism and Metropolitan Police have warned of the increased likelihood of a terrorist attack.
Violent Dissident Republicanism: What happens next?
Following a recent bomb plot targeting an off-duty Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer, the threat of violent dissident republicanism (VDR) is once again under the spotlight. As simmering intercommunal tensions escalated into violence across the Province...
RANSOMWARE: A Cyber Pandemic
By Conrad Prince CB, Pool Re’s Senior Cyber Terrorism Advisor – May 2021 Ransomware attacks, where cyber criminals seize control of victims’ computers and demand payment in return for restoring access, are a major criminal growth industry. According to one report,...
Why terrorist attacks remain likely despite a move to SUBSTANTIAL
On 8 February 2021, the Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the UK national threat level would be lowered from ‘SEVERE’ to ‘SUBSTANTIAL’ following a Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) review. The Home Secretary credited the move to the ‘significant reduction in...
Solarwinds hack reinforces the supply chain security challenge
In one of his first acts as President, Joe Biden has ordered an urgent review into the hostile cyber operation targeting the US tech company SolarWinds and its customers. The SolarWinds hack impacted multiple organisations globally, including US Government...
Cyber in the new normal: How COVID-19 is shaping the cyber threat landscape
By Conrad Prince CB, Senior Cyber Advisor to Pool Re The full implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for cyber security will not be known for some time. What is clear though is that cyber criminals have taken full advantage of the crisis and nation states have used...
Terrorist intent, capability, and the threat of firearms and explosives attacks
By Jerry Smith OBE, Senior Partner, CHC Global Background The University of Marylands Global Terrorism Database (GTD) shows that the majority of mass casualty attacks in Western Europe now employ low complexity Methodology involving the use of vehicles or knives as...
Global insecurity and the terrorist threat to the UK: Examining the relationship between insecurity overseas and the UK’s terrorism threat landscape
The global security situation is deteriorating. Increasing political polarisation, climate change, and unprecedented challenges to the post-war international order are all contributing factors. On top of this, the world is now facing the worst public health crisis in...
E-Jihad: a credible new threat?
Al-Qaeda's new cyber strategy and the outlook for cyber terrorism In June 2020, al-Qaeda (AQ) released the second issue of its new English-language magazine One Ummah. The publication's diverse contents included a lengthy article on the United States economy,...
Terrorist recidivism: How much of a problem is reoffending by convicted terrorists?
Given the attacks in the winter of 2019-2020 in the UK, such concerns appear to be well founded. However, there is considerable debate over the actual level of threat posed by terrorist offenders on their release. The research on levels of terrorist recidivism is far...
Pan-European security initiatives and the outlook for security cooperation post-Brexit
By Emily Winterbotham, Director, Terrorism and Conflict group, Senior Research Fellow, RUSI How will Brexit impact on the UK's ability to counter terrorism? One of the things that the UK and the EU can agree on is that counter-terrorism (CT) cooperation must continue...
Conspiracy theories and terrorism: The growing role of online conspiracy theories as a driver of political violence
Conspiracy theories originating from online forums are becoming increasingly commonplace in mainstream political narratives. In some instances, these conspiracy theories have led to violence offline. This raises a number of questions for both security practitioners...
Assessing the scale of the growing threat posed by right-wing terrorism
On 30 June, Feuerkrieg Division became the third far-right group to be proscribed by the UK's Home Secretary, making it a criminal offence to be a member of, or invite support for, the organisation. This followed the proscription of Sonnenkrieg Division, another...
Horizon scanning the terrorism threat: Understanding the drivers of terrorism and anticipating new threats
By Andrew Silke, Professor of Risk and Resilience, Cranfield University Understanding the causes of terrorism represents an important step in anticipating the emergence of new terrorist campaigns and offers real potential to assist with the mitigation of the impact of...
Insure to be resilient: How to strengthen national security in a post-COVID-19 world
By Paddy McGuinness CMG OBE, Former UK Deputy National Security Advisor As 2020 draws on, and we endure the largest natural hazard event of our generation, we should ask whether and how the British Government plans to partner with the insurance industry to improve...
When terrorism and cyber worlds collide
Tune into our webinar, as our expert panelists probe deeper into what this means for us, how the landscape is changing and how insurers are responding to the new and emerging threats. We live in an age of continuous change and disruption COVID-19, and the resulting...
Conspiracy theories and terrorism
Since April, unidentified assailants have partially damaged or destroyed over 70 communications masts across the UK. The attacks were inspired by an online conspiracy theory linking 5G communications to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As well as targeting...
Time for a good, hard look in the mirror?
Even the UK’s National Risk Register[1] states a pandemic, albeit an influenza one, as one of the most significant threats facing the UK. Whilst this blog is not a commentary on how well the UK managed COVID-19, it does show that even governments find it difficult to...
Right-wing terrorism since Christchurch
By Eden Stewart, Senior Analyst and Callum Yourston, Analyst: Risk Awareness Team In March 2019, a gunmen killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand; it was the deadliest attack by a right-wing terrorist (RWT) for nearly a decade. The shooting...
Analysis of recent bladed weapon attacks in Europe
Key findings Bladed weapon attacks have become the favoured methodology of terrorists in Europe because they are quick, cheap to execute and hard to prevent; Furthermore, such attacks fulfil the limited objectives of the most prolific terrorist actors: ample media...
RFI Iran: Cyber Capabilities Conclusions
Executive Summary The following report comprises a collection and analysis of Iran's capabilities and accomplishments to date in the cyber field. Iran's cyber capabilities have been continuously improving over the course of the last five years, as state-backed groups...
Unconventional Methodology: Terrorist use of Drones
Terrorist groups across the globe have long had the intent, and in some instances the capability, to use remote-piloted aerial vehicles (drones) in attacks. However, the proliferation of relatively cheap, small, commercially available rotary wing drones has...
How Terrorists Think About the Economic Impact of Attacks
Andrew Silke, Professor of Terrorism, Risk & Resilience, Cranfield University It has long been recognised that terrorism can be a remarkably effective low cost form of conflict. For modest outlays on the part of perpetrators, terrorist violence can inflict...
Daesh’s Communications Strategy Post-Caliphate, and What it Means for the UK
The collapse of Daesh's so-called "caliphate" has diminished the group's mass appeal and crippled its ability to direct and coordinate strategic communications. While the group's ability to propagandise is unlikely to be extinguished in the medium-term, it no longer...
Left-Wing Terrorism
With the collapse of communism in the late 1980s, the threat from left-wing terrorism receded in the West. Without the ideological authority and political support derived from the Soviet Union and its allies, the succession of violent Marxist-Leninist movements seen...
Right-Wing Terrorism
The massacre of 50 people at two mosques in southern New Zealand on 15 March served as a grim reminder of the threat posed by RWT. While accounting for a small proportion of terrorism globally, attacks by RWT have been on the rise in recent years across the West....
The Process of Radicalisation
Guest Writer, Raffaello Pantucci, Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Amongst the reams of academic literature written on the topic, there is no single explanation or answer to how or why radicalisation happens....
Terrorist Use of Drones in the United Kingdom
Executive Summary With the proliferation of the small drones market globally, and the increasing attention drawn to the disruption they can cause when used inappropriately, there is widely held concern that terrorists will seek to use a drone in an attack in the UK. A...
The IRAs Mainland Bombing Campaign and the Founding of Pool Re
By Andrew Silke, Professor of Risk and Resilience at Cranfield University This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Pool Re. In an era dominated by the threat of Islamist terrorism and the spectre of suicide attacks and mass casualty bombings and...
National Action and the growth of the extreme right-wing
Britain has suffered two attacks carried out by extreme right-wing (XRW) actors in as many years. Darren Osbourne's attack on Muslims outside the Finsbury Park Mosque was preceded by the June 2016 murder of Jo Cox MP by Thomas Mair. The attacks signalled an...
Al-Qaedaesh: Possible Al-Qaeda / Daesh merger
As predicted, Daesh's territorial holdings in Iraq and Syria and elsewhere across the globe have been significantly eroded and the impending collapse of the physical so-called Caliphate has raised hopes for the group's end. However, elements of Daesh and its ideology...
The ‘Virtual’ Caliphate: A Bigger Threat than Islamic State
With the impending destruction of Daesh's physical so-called Caliphate in Iraq and Syria, the future trajectory of the organisation is unclear. However, some commentators have warned that the group will retain global influence after its territorial collapse by...
2017: A new IED campaign?
The Manchester attack was therefore inconsistent with the perceived trend towards low complexity attacks, and the marauding vehicle and bladed attacks in London Bridge in June seemingly confirmed the use of an IED in Manchester as anomalous. However, on 15 September,...
The Changing Face of Terrorism: How the Government should respond
In July last year, then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, clearly stated that the risk of a terror attack in the UK remained a case of “when, not if”. Almost a year later his warning has become a painful reality. In just ten weeks, there...
Do the arrests in Derby confirm the Head of MI6’s warning?
The arrest of six terrorist suspects on 12th December increases the number of thwarted attacks in the UK to thirteen in the last two years. Will the large numbers of anticipated returning fighters from Syria and Iraq lead to more terrorist plots being uncovered? The...
20 years since the Manchester bombing – a modern risk?
A modern risk with a long history - much has happened since Pool Re was created in 1993 to meet the immediate need for terrorism reinsurance. That need was a direct result of numerous IRA bombings. The cost of these losses caused insurers and reinsurers to focus on...
Dissident republicanism is a reoccurring threat
On Wednesday 11 May, the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, issued a written statement to Parliament detailing the security services' decision to raise the threat level. In her written statement she did not specify any reasons for the change in threat level....
Monthly Threat Update January 2023
This month we take a look at the potential move by the UK government to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as the ongoing investigation into traces of uranium found at Heathrow Airport last month.Read the full update here Monthly Threat...
Monthly Threat Update July 2022
For our July monthly threat update, Professor Andrew Silke has assessed the current threat from eco-terrorism in Great Britain. Pool Re Solutions analysts examine conviction and sentencing data for terrorism charges in Great Britain, comparing figures between May and...
COVID-19: Highlighting the CBR threat
COVID-19 has highlighted the threat of terrorists using CBR materials. Could this present a worrying new peril to business and the economy? Join Ed Butler CBE DSO - Chief Resilience Officer, Pool Re, and our expert team of panellists: Hamish de Bretton-Gordon OBE...
COVID-19 and terrorism: assessing the short-and long-term impacts
By Andrew Silke, Professor of Risk and Resilience at Cranfield University Summary The COVID-19 pandemic is already having a significant impact on terrorism in a variety of ways. There is a mixed picture on the level of attacks in the short-term lockdown measures will...
Unconventional Methodology: CBRN Proliferation and the Threat to the UK
By Jerry Smith, OBE, CHC Consulting There have been no successful terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) material in the UK or other developed economies over the past 12 months. However, terrorists retain the intent to employ...
Salisbury | Open for Business?
On Sunday 4th March, the emergency services were called to a bench in the centre of Salisbury where father and daughter Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found "in a catatonic state". Within the next few hours, both the Skripals and a British police officer DS Nick Bailey...
How clean is clean enough? The Threat of Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear Terrorism in the UK
A terrorist attack involving CBRN material is a high-impact, low-probability event. The Cabinet Office National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies recognises the potential for such an attack, from which an operational framework and contingency plans have been...
Climate Change Reporting
Climate change is one of the most significant global issues of our time. In a recent United Nations Security Council Meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that “no one is safe from the destructive effects of climate disruption.” As our awareness and...
Monthly Threat Update January 2023
This month we take a look at the potential move by the UK government to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as the ongoing investigation into traces of uranium found at Heathrow Airport last month.Read the full update here Monthly Threat...
Monthly Threat Update December 2022
What is the role of non-state cyber groups in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the implications of their actions at home and abroad? A report by Conrad Prince CB[1], Pool Re’s senior cyber terrorism adviser. Terrorism-related charges and convictions have increased in...
Monthly Threat Update May 2022
This month, Pool Re Solutions provides an insight into the concern about released terrorist prisoners and the threat they may pose in the UK. We also examine conviction and sentencing data for terrorism charges in Great Britain, comparing figures between March and...
Cyber Terrorism: Far-right extremists’ use of social media – an explainer
Our online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The third instalment examines far-right...
Monthly Threat Update April 2022
This month, Pool Re Solutions provides an insight into state terrorism and why there remains a debate around its inclusion within terrorism definitions. We also provide a roundup of significant terrorism-related events across advanced market countries. This includes...
Cyber Terrorism: Islamic State’s effective exploitation of social media
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The second instalment examines IS’ tactics and practices and the impact its social media strategy has on recruitment and propaganda.
Cyber Terrorism: Understanding online radicalisation
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The first article examines the role of the...
UK Cyber Security: A New Approach?
The risk of Russian cyber retaliation in response to Western sanctions over Ukraine is just one pressing reason why the UK’s new national cyber strategy is so important.
Monthly Threat Update December 2021
There were no terrorist attacks in Great Britain this month. However, the Minister of State for Security and Borders re-emphasised the evolving nature of the terrorist threat towards “self-initiated” terrorism, particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. An...
RANSOMWARE: A Cyber Pandemic
By Conrad Prince CB, Pool Re’s Senior Cyber Terrorism Advisor – May 2021 Ransomware attacks, where cyber criminals seize control of victims’ computers and demand payment in return for restoring access, are a major criminal growth industry. According to one report,...
Home Office proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI,Senior Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 19 January 2024, the British Home Secretary James Cleverly proscribed the Sunni Islamist political organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation, meaning that it is now a criminal...
Seven Individuals Arrested Over Terror Plots Linked to the Middle East
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 14 December 2023, German authorities arrested four individuals linked to an alleged plot to attack Jewish sites across Europe.[1] Media reporting suggests that the individuals were long-standing members...
Individual Jailed for Hyde Park Firearms Plot
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 15 December 2023, an individual was sentenced to at least 16 years in prison for plotting to conduct an Islamist-inspired firearms attack at Hyde Park in London.[1] The individual intended to murder...
Islamist Terrorist Conducts Bladed and Blunt Force Weapons Attack in Paris
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 02 December 2023, an Islamist terrorist conducted a marauding Bladed and Blunt Force Weapons attack in central Paris, using a knife and a hammer. There was one fatality, and two others, including a British...
Suspected UK Member of Islamic State Sentenced for Terrorism Offences
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 13 November 2023, an individual suspected of being a member of a four-man Islamic State (IS) cell nicknamed “The Beatles” was sentenced to eight years in prison. The individual pleaded guilty to possession...
Brussels Terrorist Attack Targets Swedish Nationals
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 16 October 2023, two Swedish football fans died, and a third was injured, following a shooting in Brussels, Belgium. The suspected perpetrator fled the scene and later shared a video in which he...
France Raises Threat Level after Terrorist Attack
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 15 October 2023, France was put on its highest level of terrorism alert following an Islamist-inspired Bladed Weapons attack at a French school on 13 October 2023. According to French police, the...
Exploring the Importance of In-Person Radicalisation to Understand the UK Terrorism Threat
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes Since 2010, in-person radicalisation has been linked to the majority of significant terrorism-related incidents in the UK. At the same time, rates of online radicalisation have been increasing rapidly...
Anjem Choudary Charged with Three Terrorism Offences
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 23 July 2023, media reporting suggested that British Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary was charged with three terrorism offences in relation to proscribed terrorist group al-Muhajiroun (ALM), a group...
Islamic State Suicide Bombing in Pakistan Kills 63
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Junior Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes Media reporting suggests that on 30 July 2023, an individual linked with the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) conducted a Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (PBIED) attack in Pakistan....
Monthly Threat Update July 2022
For our July monthly threat update, Professor Andrew Silke has assessed the current threat from eco-terrorism in Great Britain. Pool Re Solutions analysts examine conviction and sentencing data for terrorism charges in Great Britain, comparing figures between May and...
Monthly Threat Update January 2022
There were no terrorist attacks in Great Britain this month. However, in Texas, a British man took four hostages at a Synagogue and demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist also referred to as “Lady Al Qaeda”. The hostages were released, and the...
Left-Wing Terrorism
With the collapse of communism in the late 1980s, the threat from left-wing terrorism receded in the West. Without the ideological authority and political support derived from the Soviet Union and its allies, the succession of violent Marxist-Leninist movements seen...
Manchester Arena Inquiry: If the worst were to happen, would you be adequately prepared?
At 22:31 on 22 May 2017, Salman Abedi detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Attended largely by teenagers and children, the horrifying result was the murder of twenty-two people and injury to over 800 people,...
Sector Risk Report: Airports
Our new sector-specific risk report examines the terrorist threat to the airports sector and how it has changed post pandemic. This report is intended to share a more comprehensive understanding of the threat landscape surrounding airports, their possible...
Monthly Threat Update June 2022
This month, Pool Re Solutions provides an insight into the use of hostile vehicles by terrorist actors and the threat this method poses in the UK. We also examine conviction and sentencing data for terrorism charges in Great Britain, comparing figures between April...
Are you Protect Duty prepared?
In the recent Queen's speech, the Government announced they would be introducing a draft terrorism bill called Protect Duty. The implications of the legislation could be far reaching, possibly affecting tens of thousands (if not more) businesses throughout the UK....
Review of the Home Office Protect Duty Consultation Report January 2022
On 10th January 2022, the Minister for Security and Borders at the Home Office, Damian Hinds MP, released a report summarising the findings from the public consultation for the proposed Protect Duty legislation that will require owners and/or operators of Publicly Accessible Locations (PALs) to take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from terrorist attack.
Protect Duty legislation implications on UK businesses and insurance
Our latest sector-focused risk report highlighted that all publicly accessible businesses simply can’t afford to ignore the continued risk of terrorism, which is no longer exclusive to cities and major towns but remains a nationwide threat.
Sector Risk Report: Retail and Hospitality
Our latest sector-focused risk report examines the evolving terrorist threat to the retail and hospitality sector. This report is intended to provide a better understanding of the terrorist threat to owners and managers of businesses in the sector, so they can...
Briefing Note: Sir John Saunders Manchester Arena Inquiry
The Manchester Arena Inquiry, chaired by The Hon Sir John Saunders, was established by the Home Secretary in 2019 to investigate the 22 May 2017 Manchester Arena attack which killed 22 people and injured hundreds more. Seeking to reduce the risk of a similar attack...
Time for a good, hard look in the mirror?
Even the UK’s National Risk Register[1] states a pandemic, albeit an influenza one, as one of the most significant threats facing the UK. Whilst this blog is not a commentary on how well the UK managed COVID-19, it does show that even governments find it difficult to...
CT Security Guide for Business Premises
Each business sector faces its own unique challenges. The nature of their business, their profile, their people or their location are all factors that can present companies with varied levels of risk. The best practice counter-terrorism security guide was written with...
New IRA Collaborated with Organised Crime Groups
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 16 June 2023, the High Court heard evidence suggesting that the New Irish Republican Army (New IRA) had collaborated with organised crime groups in the attempted murder of off-duty Detective Chief...
Two Individuals Sentenced After Plot to Destroy 5G Masts
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Junior Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 05 June 2023, two individuals were jailed for a number of offences relating to terrorism and a plot to destroy 5G masts resulting from a subscription to COVID-19-related conspiracy theories.[1]...
Increase in Dissident Republican Activity as United States President Visits Northern Ireland
Author: Julian Stone BEM, Principal Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes As of 11 April 2023, the Police Service in Northern Ireland (PSNI) has announced the recovery of four suspected pipe bombs in a cemetery in the Creggan estate in Derry/Londonderry ahead of the...
Police Officer Allegedly Shot by New IRA in Omagh, Northern Ireland
Author: Oliver Hair,Junior Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutesOn 22 February 2023, an off-duty Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer was targeted by two individuals using a firearm in Omagh, Northern Ireland. The ongoing police investigation is treating the...
Monthly Threat Update September 2022
This month we take a look at how the threat posed to the UK by returning foreign fighters has evolved in recent years in light of emerging intelligence surrounding the trafficking of former British citizen, Shamima Begum, to Syria in 2015. We examine conviction and...
Violent Dissident Republicanism: What happens next?
Following a recent bomb plot targeting an off-duty Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer, the threat of violent dissident republicanism (VDR) is once again under the spotlight. As simmering intercommunal tensions escalated into violence across the Province...
The Violent Dissident Republican Threat
By Andrew Silke, Professor of Terrorism, Risk & Resilience, Cranfield University Background Though often overlooked in recent years, terrorism related to Northern Ireland is still a possible threat to the UK. Since the signing of the Good Friday Peace Agreement in...
The IRAs Mainland Bombing Campaign and the Founding of Pool Re
By Andrew Silke, Professor of Risk and Resilience at Cranfield University This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Pool Re. In an era dominated by the threat of Islamist terrorism and the spectre of suicide attacks and mass casualty bombings and...
Dissident republicanism is a reoccurring threat
On Wednesday 11 May, the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, issued a written statement to Parliament detailing the security services' decision to raise the threat level. In her written statement she did not specify any reasons for the change in threat level....
UK Podcast Hosts Sentenced for Terror Offences
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes Two individuals have been sentenced for a total of 15 years for terrorism offences. The pair encouraged listeners of their “neo-Nazi online podcast” – Black Wolf Radio – to commit acts of terrorism against...
Former British Soldier Found Guilty of Preparing Right-Wing Terrorist Attack
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes On 17 November 2023, a former British soldier was found guilty of preparing to commit a terrorist attack. Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) found details on the individual’s phone about a plot to target a...
Extreme Right-Wing Teenager Sentenced for Terror Offences
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 10 November 2023, a 17 year old who adhered to an Extreme Right-Wing ideology was sentenced to 10 years in prison for offences including plotting a terrorist attack against a mosque. The perpetrator had...
Exploring the Importance of In-Person Radicalisation to Understand the UK Terrorism Threat
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes Since 2010, in-person radicalisation has been linked to the majority of significant terrorism-related incidents in the UK. At the same time, rates of online radicalisation have been increasing rapidly...
Monthly Threat Update February 2023
This month: Man charged with terrorism offences following attempted Improvised Explosive Device attack outside Leeds Hospital. An independent Iranian news outlet forced out of London by reports of threat. Two prominent media figures sent threatening letters by...
Monthly Threat Update December 2022
What is the role of non-state cyber groups in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the implications of their actions at home and abroad? A report by Conrad Prince CB[1], Pool Re’s senior cyber terrorism adviser. Terrorism-related charges and convictions have increased in...
Monthly Threat Update November 2022
This month we take a look at the threat of Fire-as-a-Weapon following a recent right-wing extremist attack at the Western Jet Foil immigration centre in Dover. Terrorism-related convictions in October remained consistent with September. However, of particular concern...
Dover Firebombing: Post-Incident Report
Image Source: Google (2022) Dover Western Jet Foil. Available at: http://maps.google.co.uk (Accessed: November 2022). When: 11:20 GMT, 30 October 2022 What: 3 crude incendiary devices Where: Dover, UK Who: Andrew Leak; motivated by extreme right-wing ideology Deaths:...
Monthly Threat Update October 2022
We ask, could the current cost-of-living crisis drive up radicalisation and terrorist attacks in the UK? Professor Andrew Silke (Cranfield University) comments on the latest unsettling findings. Whilst terrorism-related convictions and sentencing reduced in August and...
Monthly Threat Update September 2022
This month we take a look at how the threat posed to the UK by returning foreign fighters has evolved in recent years in light of emerging intelligence surrounding the trafficking of former British citizen, Shamima Begum, to Syria in 2015. We examine conviction and...
The King’s Coronation: ‘As we celebrate together, let’s keep each other safe’
Author: Calum Ronald, Senior Risk ConsultantRead Time: 3 minutesThousands of people across the country will be attending celebratory events this weekend, ranging from official Coronation ceremonies in Central London, to local street parties and community events. ‘As...
Sector Risk Report: Public Transport
As one of a series of focused sector risk reports, Pool Re SOLUTIONS, has examined the evolving threat to the Public Transport sector from terrorism. This report will be of particular interest to operators and responsible persons who manage or operate in the public...
The Importance of NDBI Cover
"It'll never happen here" - we have worked with ITN and BIBA to produce this compelling short film. The aim is to help small businesses (SMEs) understand the impact of not having terrorism insurance in place, if the worst should happen. Centred in Borough Market, the...
How to Stay Safe During the Festive Period
As the festive period approaches, it is important to remember that the UK faces a diverse and evolving terrorism threat. Among others, the 2016 Berlin Christmas Market and 2018 Strasbourg attacks act as a reminder of the intent of terrorist actors globally to conduct...
Decoding two differing responses to a common threat
How do the UK and US compare? The UK's revised Counter Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST) was published in June 2018. The importance of working closely with the private sector, including the insurance sector, in counter-terrorism was highlighted as a theme across the...
Six Arrested Over Plot to Disrupt London Stock Exchange
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 14 January 2024, the Metropolitan Police arrested six individuals over a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange. It is alleged that individuals from Palestine Action intended to target the London Stock...
Activist convicted of conspiracy to commit criminal damage whilst protesting for Palestine Action Group
Author: Julian Stone BEM, Principal Threat Analyst Read Time: 3 minutes As of May 2023, a fourth activist linked with the Palestine Action Group (PAG) protest group was found guilty of conspiracy to commit criminal damage following a pro-Palestine protest at the...
Individual Sentenced After Hostile Reconnaissance at Iran International UK Headquarters
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 22 December 2023, an individual was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for attempting to collect information useful to a terrorist.[1] The individual conducted hostile reconnaissance at the...
Wagner Group Proscribed as a Terrorist Organisation
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 15 September 2023, the Wagner Group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Home Office. The proscription makes belonging to the Wagner Group or actively supporting the group in the UK a...
Moscow after Mutiny – What next for Wagner?
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Junior Threat Analyst Read Time: 5 minutes Pool Re’s Threat Awareness Team have previously explored reports which suggested that the UK was preparing to proscribe Russia’s Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation.[1] On 23 June 2023, the...
Weapons from the Russia-Ukraine War: An Emerging Source of Terrorism Threat in the UK?
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 15 minutes “Our borders are not as secure as they should be and much greater efforts should be made to prevent the illegal transportation of weapons and people into the country. It would be naive in the extreme to...
Man Charged with Attempted Murder After Two Fire as a Weapon Attacks
Author: Oliver Hair,Junior Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutesAs of 24 March 2023, a man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after conducting two separate Fire as a Weapon attacks outside mosques in Birmingham and London.[1] On 27 February 2023, an...
Monthly Threat Update February 2023
This month: Man charged with terrorism offences following attempted Improvised Explosive Device attack outside Leeds Hospital. An independent Iranian news outlet forced out of London by reports of threat. Two prominent media figures sent threatening letters by...
Monthly Threat Update January 2023
This month we take a look at the potential move by the UK government to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as the ongoing investigation into traces of uranium found at Heathrow Airport last month.Read the full update here Monthly Threat...
Monthly Threat Update December 2022
What is the role of non-state cyber groups in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the implications of their actions at home and abroad? A report by Conrad Prince CB[1], Pool Re’s senior cyber terrorism adviser. Terrorism-related charges and convictions have increased in...
Monthly Threat Update November 2022
This month we take a look at the threat of Fire-as-a-Weapon following a recent right-wing extremist attack at the Western Jet Foil immigration centre in Dover. Terrorism-related convictions in October remained consistent with September. However, of particular concern...
Monthly Threat Update September 2022
This month we take a look at how the threat posed to the UK by returning foreign fighters has evolved in recent years in light of emerging intelligence surrounding the trafficking of former British citizen, Shamima Begum, to Syria in 2015. We examine conviction and...
Monthly Threat Update August 2022
This month we take a look at the assassination of former Al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and consider what this might mean for the future of the group. We examine conviction and sentencing data from June and July for terrorism charges in Great Britain to help...
Monthly Threat Update June 2022
This month, Pool Re Solutions provides an insight into the use of hostile vehicles by terrorist actors and the threat this method poses in the UK. We also examine conviction and sentencing data for terrorism charges in Great Britain, comparing figures between April...
Monthly Threat Update January 2022
There were no terrorist attacks in Great Britain this month. However, in Texas, a British man took four hostages at a Synagogue and demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist also referred to as “Lady Al Qaeda”. The hostages were released, and the...
Arson Attack at French Synagogue
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 24 August 2024, an individual conducted a Fire as a Weapon attack at the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte, France. Reporting suggests that the individual started fires at two entrances to the...
Islamic State Claim Responsibility for Festival of Diversity Attack
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 23 August 2024, Issa Al H, 26-years-old, conducted a Bladed Weapons attack in the western German city of Solingen {X}. The individual conducted the attack at approximately 21:40 at a free music concert...
British Army Soldier Attacked
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 23 July 2024, at approximately 17:50, a British Army soldier was stabbed in Kent in proximity to Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army’s 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment....
Anjem Choudary Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 30 July 2024, Anjem Choudary, 57, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years for directing a terrorist organisation and encouraging support for a terrorist organisation following a...
School Student Given Youth Rehabilitation Order
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 16 July 2024, a 16-year-old from Stockton-on-Tees was given a three year Youth Rehabilitation Order and a three year Criminal Behaviour Order, after admitting to possessing Extreme Right-Wing material and...
Teenager Sentenced for Synagogue Attack Plot
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 14 June 2024, Mason Reynolds, 19, of Brighton, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for offences including possessing plans for carrying out an attack on a synagogue near Brighton {X}. Reynolds...
Home Office Statistics Reveal Increase in Terrorist-Related Arrests
Author: Felix Foxmore,Senior Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes New figures released by the Home Office reveal that arrests in the UK for terrorism-related offences have increased by almost a quarter. In the year ending 31 March 2024, there were 212 arrests in Great...
Individual Guilty of Hospital Terror Plot
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 02 July 2024, Mohammad Farooq, 28, of Hetton Road in Leeds, was found guilty of preparing for an act of terrorism. Prior to the trial, Farooq had pleaded guilty to possessing an explosive substance with...
Individual Shot By Police During Arson Attack
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 17 May 2024, an individual who reportedly set fire to a synagogue was shot dead by police in Rouen, France. French authorities alleged that the individual was armed with a 25cm knife and threatened police...
Three Individuals Charged for Firearms Plot Against Jewish Community
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI,Threat AnalystRead Time: 3 minutes On 14 May 2024, three individuals were charged with terrorism offences following an alleged firearms plot targeting the Jewish community in the north-west of England {X}. Walid Saadoui and Amar Hussein were...
How to Stay Safe During the Festive Period
As the festive period approaches, it is important to remember that the UK faces a diverse and evolving terrorism threat. Among others, the 2016 Berlin Christmas Market and 2018 Strasbourg attacks act as a reminder of the intent of terrorist actors globally to conduct...
Israel and Hamas conflict – the potential impact outside of its borders
“It has always been the case that lots of would-be-terrorists in the UK draw inspiration through their distorted understanding of what is happening in other countries.” - Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, 2023.[1] The current conflict between Israel and Hamas has...
The King’s Coronation: ‘As we celebrate together, let’s keep each other safe’
Author: Calum Ronald, Senior Risk ConsultantRead Time: 3 minutesThousands of people across the country will be attending celebratory events this weekend, ranging from official Coronation ceremonies in Central London, to local street parties and community events. ‘As...
Manchester Arena Inquiry: If the worst were to happen, would you be adequately prepared?
At 22:31 on 22 May 2017, Salman Abedi detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Attended largely by teenagers and children, the horrifying result was the murder of twenty-two people and injury to over 800 people,...
Martyn’s Law Gov Update Dec 2022
Pool Re welcomes Protect Duty announcement NEWS RELEASE - 19 December 2022Pool Re, Britain’s leading terrorism reinsurer, today welcomes the UK government’s announcement of its upcoming Protect Duty legislation, also known as Martyn’s Law. In a statement yesterday the...
Pool Re and Security in the Aviation Industry
Earlier this year Pool Re's Senior Risk Consultant, Mark Susca, provided an interview to Counter Terror Business to discuss 'Pool Re and Security in the aviation industry'. Mark, you recently joined Pool Re as a Senior Risk Consultant. Tell us a little about your...
Are you Protect Duty prepared?
In the recent Queen's speech, the Government announced they would be introducing a draft terrorism bill called Protect Duty. The implications of the legislation could be far reaching, possibly affecting tens of thousands (if not more) businesses throughout the UK....
Cyber Terrorism: Far-right extremists’ use of social media – an explainer
Our online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The third instalment examines far-right...
Cyber Terrorism: Islamic State’s effective exploitation of social media
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The second instalment examines IS’ tactics and practices and the impact its social media strategy has on recruitment and propaganda.
Cyber Terrorism: Understanding online radicalisation
Our new online terrorism series explores how terrorist organisations are harnessing the internet to radicalise and train potential recruits, disseminate illegal content, facilitate communication, and incite acts of terrorism. The first article examines the role of the...
Terrorist Exploitation of Artificial Intelligence: Current Risks and Future Applications
Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to have wide ranging, transformational, and often beneficial, impacts on society. However, like all technology, AI also carries the potential for misuse by nefarious actors including Terrorists and Violent Extremists (TVEs)....
Weapons from the Russia-Ukraine War: An Emerging Source of Terrorism Threat in the UK?
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 15 minutes “Our borders are not as secure as they should be and much greater efforts should be made to prevent the illegal transportation of weapons and people into the country. It would be naive in the extreme to...
Exploring the Importance of In-Person Radicalisation to Understand the UK Terrorism Threat
Author: Becca Stewart ASyI, Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes Since 2010, in-person radicalisation has been linked to the majority of significant terrorism-related incidents in the UK. At the same time, rates of online radicalisation have been increasing rapidly...
The Leadership Gap: al-Qa’ida after the Death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
Author: Oliver Hair ASyI, Junior Threat Analyst Read Time: 10 minutes The former leader of al-Qa’ida, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was reportedly killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan on 31 July 2022. al-Qa’ida has not yet confirmed the death of al-Zawahiri or announced a new...
Analysis of recent bladed weapon attacks in Europe
Key findings Bladed weapon attacks have become the favoured methodology of terrorists in Europe because they are quick, cheap to execute and hard to prevent; Furthermore, such attacks fulfil the limited objectives of the most prolific terrorist actors: ample media...
Terrorist Use of Drones in the United Kingdom
Executive Summary With the proliferation of the small drones market globally, and the increasing attention drawn to the disruption they can cause when used inappropriately, there is widely held concern that terrorists will seek to use a drone in an attack in the UK. A...