London, September 17: UK faces potent new threats from terrorism with 2012 London Olympic Games likely to be a major target of al-Qaeda bombers, the country’s top intelligence official has warned.
Jonathan Evans, Director-General of Mi5 – Britain’s domestic intelligence service, said threats were emanating from Northern Ireland, Middle East and North Africa, as al-Qaeda linked groups are moving out of Pakistan.
The spy chief said London Olympics were under major threat from dissidents, who reject Northern Ireland peace process as also homegrown Britons who had undergone trainings in camps run by al-Qaeda liked al-Shabab in Somalia.
In a wide-ranging address to Worshipful Company of Security Professionals in the City last night, Evans highlighted that “al-Qaeda threat has diversified – with new centres of extremism emerging in Somalia and Yemen – and the potential that terrorists could target the 2012 London Olympics.
–PTI