Cameron vows new security
The British premier spoke of antiterror moves just after the nation raised its threat level.
LONDON - Prime Minister David Cameron pledged Friday to plug gaps in Britain's armory to combat terror, describing the extremist threat posed by the Islamic State group as being more dangerous than even that of al-Qaeda.
Cameron's remarks came just moments after authorities raised Britain's terror-threat level to severe, the second-highest level. The decision was related to developments in Iraq and Syria, but there was no information to suggest an attack was imminent.
"What we are facing in Iraq now with ISIL is a greater threat to our security than we have seen before," Cameron said, using an abbreviation for a name the Islamic State previously used: the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.
He told reporters that while the Taliban facilitated al-Qaeda terrorism, the Islamic State group was "effectively a state run by terrorists." He said the ambition to create an Islamist caliphate wasn't something that could be ignored.
"We could be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a NATO member," he said, referring to Turkey.
Intelligence and security services now believe about 500 Britons have gone to fight in Syria and possibly Iraq.
British police have appealed to the public to help identify aspiring terrorists after the killing of an American journalist focused attention on extremism in Britain. The involvement of a person of British nationality in James Foley's beheading underscored the need to identify those who might travel abroad to fight or are at risk of being radicalized.
The attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels also underscored the willingness of the members of the group to attack Europeans.
One action Cameron outlined was the possibility that passports could be taken away. He said further measures would be detailed Monday in the House of Commons.
Britain also wants to revive a directive to enable police and security services to share passenger records in the European Union. Concerns about civil liberties have stalled the measure in the European Parliament.
Britain raised the country's terror threat level from substantial to severe just before Cameron held his news conference. The threat level means a terrorist attack is considered highly likely.
Christian Leuprecht, a security expert at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University, said that, although officials said there was no specific threat made, it was likely that data flowing to the Britain's intelligence agencies caused them concern.
"It would suggest something more concrete than, 'Oh we'd better be careful,' " he said. "Otherwise, you would see everyone in the West do this."