Half of extremist terror plots foiled by British police in the past two years have involved a plan to buy guns, police have revealed, amid a surge in gun seizures in the UK.
The revelations have prompted fears that links between street gangs and terrorists could give extremists access to weapons and risk the type of mass shootings most recently seen in the Paris attacks.
At least 10 terrorist attacks have been foiled by British security services and police in the past two years, five of which have involved guns.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command have launched a joint campaign urging the public to report any fears of criminals handling firearms.
Assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, who is in charge of counter-terrorism for the police, said: “Half of the plots that have been disrupted in recent years have involved terrorist plotters who tried to get hold of guns.
“The links we see tend to be from terrorists into criminals in the communities they hail from. It will often be people involved in low-level organised crime or gang activity.
“Law enforcement, together with security and intelligence services, are working tirelessly to locate these weapons, confront the terrorist threat and keep the public safe.”
Director of the NCA, Lynne Owens, said disrupting the supply of firearms has “never been a more significant priority”.
Ms Owens said: “Currently we believe we hold an advantage. There is low availability of illegal firearms in the UK compared with European and international partners, but it is not an advantage that we take for granted, and to maintain that advantage we must not stand still.”
The NCA and police seized a total of 884 firearms last year, which were sent to the National Ballistics Intelligence Service for forensic analysis.
There are estimated to be about 750 organised crime gangs in the UK who are involved with guns.
An attack by gunmen is considered to be the most significant terrorist threat and a recent review of London's counter-terrorism arrangements suggested that UK border security should be stepped up to stem the flow of weapons into the country.
Since March there has been an increase in gun crime in London, with the Metropolitan Police recording 202 firearms discharges in July and August, compared with 87 in the same months last year.
The Home Office has meanwhile insisted the UK has “one of the most secure borders in the world”.
