Brown admits attacks could happen "at any time"

Prime minister Gordon Brown reinforces terror warning

Sunday, 01, Jul 2007 12:00

Gordon Brown has reinforced the warning on Britons that terrorist attacks could occur in the country "at any time".

Yesterday the government raised its terror threat level to critical after police confirmed an attack upon Glasgow airport was connected to the discovery of two car bombs in London on Friday.

Speaking this morning, Mr Brown, whose five days as prime minister have so far been dominated by the terror strikes in the UK, warned that the threat facing the country was "long-term and sustained".

The prime minister also confirmed that anti-terror police had already identified al-Qaida elements in the attacks.

Commenting on the decision to raise the threat level to critical, which implies that an attack is imminent, he added: "It was right to raise the security level, which has already been at a very high level for some time.

"We are aware that we are dealing with a long-term threat, it's not going to go away in the next few weeks or months," Mr Brown told BBC1's Sunday AM programme.

"I think it is important to say on a day like this that we've got to see it as a battle of hearts and minds," he continued, urging the "great moderates in our communities" to separate themselves from the "few extremists".

With reference to yesterday's attack upon Glasgow airport, in which no-one apart from the two would-be suicide bombers was hurt, Mr Brown called on travellers to be understanding of new security measures likely to be put in place at airports during the coming weeks.

The prime minister also said that all crowded places in Britain were likely to see an increased police presence as a result of the attacks.

But he insisted that "people carry on living their lives as normal, and that we British people send a message to terrorists that we will not let them undermine our lives".