MI5 head warns of serious risk of UK terrorist attack

The UK faces a continuing serious risk of a lethal terrorist attack taking place, the head of MI5 has warned. Jonathan Evans raised concerns over the number of soon-to-be-freed inmates who are "committed extremists and likely to return to terrorist activities". He also said Somalia and Yemen were important concerns for MI5, as a source of serious plots against the UK. And, he said, the security service had not expected dissident republicanism to grow as it had in Northern Ireland. Mr Evans, who made the rare public remarks to the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals in London, said dealing with international terrorism remained the main focus of MI5's efforts.