What should I be looking for?

We firmly believe that it is communities that ultimately defeat terrorism.  

Terrorism

The terrorist threat is serious and ongoing. You can help to prevent terrorism by being alert to possible suspicious activities.

Terrorists have to live somewhere, and they need to plan and prepare for attacks. They buy and store materials, fund their activities, move around, prepare equipment and weapons and often undergo training. They may have people helping them - and these people might come and go at strange times of the day and night.

They may make unusual financial transactions or use false documents to hide their real identities. They may be behaving differently to how you've known them to behave in the past. You may spot such activities, and if reported in time, a planned terrorist attack may be stopped before it happens.

If you are aware of something suspicious, trust your instincts and report it to the police. What might seem insignificant on its own could actually provide a vital link in a wider investigation.

Preventing violent extremism

It is important to remember that we are not trying to criminalise anyone and that is certainly not the intention. To prevent violent extremism and terrorism we need to guide persons away from a violent path in the first place. This can only be done by keeping vigilant, and if something strikes you as suspicious or you are unsure about somebody's activities or behaviour, however insignificant it may seem at the time, we would urge you to call.  

If you have a concern that someone you know or someone you care about is either being exploited by radicalisers and you think is being drawn into violent extremism or terrorism, then we would urge you to report this to the police using one of the methods detailed via the ‘report suspicious activity’ link page. 

It may be that you are concerned that someone you know is regularly visiting extremist websites on the internet and that a change in their behaviour is causing you concern. 

We have a duty of care and as you would expect, any information you provide to us is treated with the strictest of confidence. 

Remember, vigilance on your part is one of the best ways of preventing and detecting crime, including terrorist crime.