Attack is "highly likely"

Guarding Number 10, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

The Guardian reported recently:

"The threat of international terrorism to the UK was raised from substantial to the second highest level of severe last night, meaning an attack is "highly likely".

Alan Johnson, the home secretary, said there was no intelligence to suggest an attack was imminent.

The escalation reversed a decision in July to downgrade the likelihood of a terror attack from "severe" to "substantial".

Johnson said the change was not ­specifically linked to the increased threat from international terrorism following the failed Detroit plane bombing on Christmas Day or to any other incident.

He said the Joint Terrorism ­Analysis Centre (Jtac), a unit within MI5, had taken the ­decision based on a broad range of ­factors, ­including the intent and ­capabilities of international terrorist groups in the UK and overseas.

Johnson said: "We still face a real and serious threat to the UK from ­international terrorism, so I would urge the public to remain vigilant and carry on ­reporting ­suspicious events to the appropriate authorities, and to support the police and security services in their ­continuing efforts to discover, track and disrupt ­terrorist activity."

I say:
Remain vigilant? How does that work? What are we supposed to look out for apart from police carrying guns? What is the point of telling us this unless it is to make us afraid? The biggest thing we can be afraid of is more so-called anti-terrorist laws which take away our freedoms. Is not the whole point of terrorism to make people afraid and isn't that what the Governement is doing by issuing such 'security' alerts?

Yes, it is terrible if there is an attack but in most cases there is not anyone can really do apart from being normally vigilant and sensible to avert such an attack.