Pursue
We pursue terrorists and work to bring them to justice
Across our UK network we have specialist officers and staff dedicated to stopping those who seek to do us harm.
We work closely with MI5 and others to develop intelligence, and with the Crown Prosecution Service to put compelling evidence before the courts.
Whether investigating a highly sophisticated international plot, or a lone individual preparing an attack, our teams of professionals are ready to deploy a wide range of skills. This includes utilising expertise in surveillance, forensics, digital and financial investigations.
At any one time we can be handling hundreds of live investigations while reviewing thousands more individuals of interest.
If you have any information about suspicious activity then ACT on your instincts and find out more about how to report the threat of terrorism online.
Pursue: Investigative scale and focus
Alongside MI5, CTP is working on more than 800 live investigations, involving thousands of ‘subjects of interest’ who are suspected of being directly involved in terrorism. These investigations range from those suspected of creating or sharing terrorist material, providing financial support to terrorist groups, or planning terror attacks in the UK or overseas.
Investigations cannot be kept open indefinitely. Choices have to constantly be made about prioritising our investigative, surveillance and digital resources. This means that alongside our partners in MI5 we have to make difficult decisions every day about where we focus our resources, and which investigations need to be prioritised.
CTP arrests, on average, around 250 people every year on suspicion of terrorist offences. The largest single focus of our investigations is Islamist extremist terrorism, in many cases inspired, and in some enabled, by groups such as Islamic State (Da-esh) or Al Qaida.
Of the 254 people in prison for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, around 60% were convicted as Islamist terrorists. Nearly a third (30%) are white-supremacists, neo-Nazis – Extreme Right Wing Terrorists (ERWT). Of those remaining, some have less clear ideologies, often related conspiracy theories. This split reflects the reality of our investigations with MI5, which is roughly 75% Islamist terrorism, 25% ERWT, with a small number of left wing and single-issue ideologies.
Working with police forces and emergency services across the country, CTP leads the law-enforcement response to acts of terrorism when they happen. This includes incident response, leading the post-incident investigation, supporting victims, survivors and their families, and bringing those responsible to justice where possible.