(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The head of the European Union's law enforcement agency admitted a terrorist attack in the UK cannot be ruled out as he reassured there would be tighter security measures.
Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, said up to 5,000 people have travelled from Europe to Syria and Iraq because they were possibly radicalised.
Asked on Sky News whether he was saying there was no guarantee attacks such as those in Paris could be stopped, he said: "No, there can't be, otherwise what happened in Paris wouldn't have happened. I think there is a realisation across the police and security community in Europe.
"But at the same time we have a very strong determination to maximise our capability to keep our citizens safe."
He said the scale of the problem had increased over the last 10 years. The terrorists no longer had a coherent, identifiable command and control structure such as in the past. "But over those 10 years, the sophistication of the police response has also increased."
His comments came after prime minister David Cameron and US president Barack Obama held talks in Washington on how to tackle the terrorist threat.
Cameron pushed for tougher requirements for Internet firms to alert authorities to suspicious online exchanges, ban encrypted communications and store data.
A report last year into the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby concluded that Facebook failed to pass on information that could have prevented his death.
The American firm had previously shut down accounts belonging to one of the killers, Michael Adebowale, because he had discussed terrorism - but did not raise concerns with the security services.
The two leaders agreed to establish a new joint group to exchange information and expertise on countering the rise of violent extremism.
Asked how big the encrypted communication problem was, Wainwright said: "We've been engaged at Europol in combating various forms of cyber crime online for the last two years or more. It's clear that the internet is becoming of increasing utility to criminal networks.
"The nature of encrypted communication makes it more difficult for police to intercept this communication online than to intercept telephone communication in the real world."
Counter-terrorism officers have arrested an 18-year-old woman at Stansted Airport in relation to terrorism offences.
The woman was arrested by officers at approximately 16:00 this afternoon on suspicion of preparation of terrorts acts, Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
She has been taken to a central London police station where she remains in custody.
Police said the teenager had just arrived at the airport on a flight, though it is unclear at this stage where she had travelled from.
She was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts and membership of a proscribed organisation, police said.
As part of the investigation a 21-year-old man was arrested in Hackney on Wednesday October 29 on suspicion of assisting another to commit acts of terrorism, or to engage in any conduct for the committing of such acts, by facilitating another to travel abroad.
He was taken to a south London police station, where he was later bailed to return to on a date in late December.
He has since been re-bailed to a date in January.
A search at the residential address in Hackney was also carried out.
Community leaders in Hackney have called on Londoners to remain united in the face of religious extremism after the recent terror attacks in Paris.
Representatives from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, as well as councillors and senior police officers, met at the Aziziye Mosque in Stoke Newington yesterday to condemn the atrocities carried out my Islamist gunmen in the French capital last week.
They urged residents to resist becoming divided whilst the capital faces a "severe" terror threat level.
Government ministers are discussing plans to increase security at border control as Britain's security and police chiefs prepare responses to a Paris-style attack in the city.
Speaking at the meeting in east London today, Cazenove ward councillor Abraham Jacobson said Hackney "should be the beacon of light to the world" in its response to the terrorist threat.
He said: "I live in probably one of the most ethnically diverse areas in Europe. We have got people from all races and religions, all colours and creeds. We differ and disagree but we do it with dignity."
Kings Park ward councillor Sharon Patrick said she hoped residents would "lead by example" in their response to terrorism.
She said: "This is a showcase of the good community relations that we have got here in Hackney.
"If we could put it in a bottle and send it around the world then that would be a good thing. Unfortunately we cannot do that but we can just lead by example."
Stoke Newington councillor Mete Coban said: "As a young person who grew up in Hackney, I know one of the special things about it is that we have a strong community cohesion and togetherness. It is important that we stand strong with those in Paris and other parts of the world."
The event also saw a guest appearance from Turkish ambassador Abdurrahman Bilgiç.
He said: "We strongly condemn these terrorist attacks. Islam is a religion of peace. We will always stand up for democracy and freedom. The perpetrators of these terrorist atrocities grossly betray the religion that they claim to come from."
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