UK terror alert lowered

2005-08-21 14:13

London - The official level of threat to Britain from a terrorist attack has been lowered, secretly, for the first time since the July 7 bombings in London, the Sunday Telegraph said.

Intelligence officials have reduced the threat level from "critical" - the highest rating - to "severe general" because sources do not have any specific information relating to imminent repeat attacks, it said.

Although the "threat" level is down a notch, the "alert" level remains at its highest, the newspaper said. That level governs how buildings and public transport are guarded.

The move was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on Thursday, the newspaper said, despite public warnings from Metropolitan Police chief Ian Blair that further attacks remain likely.

Fifty-six people were killed, including four apparent Islamist suicide bombers, in the July 7 attacks on three Underground subway trains and a double-decker bus -- the worst ever on British soil.

A copycat attack on July 21 failed when bombs packed into rucksacks did not go off. Three prime suspects have been charged with attempted murder and a fourth is awaiting extradition from Italy.

- SAPA