Terrorism arrests reach five-year high in the UK

The number of terrorism-related arrests in the UK reached its highest level since 2019, with 248 arrests recorded in 2024, according to new data released by the Home Office.

The figures highlight an increase in counter-terrorism activity, reflecting what law enforcement officials describe as a high operational tempo in tackling both domestic and international security threats.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, attributed the rise in arrests to the intensity of counter-terrorism efforts.

“For the last 18 months, Counter Terrorism Policing has been operating at a very high operational tempo, and it is no surprise to see our teams arrested well over 200 people last year,” she said.

Among the arrests were three late-stage attacks that were disrupted thanks to the coordinated efforts of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) and the UK Security Service (MI5). Since March 2017, these agencies have prevented 43 attacks from taking place.

“Day in, day out, our officers and staff are working with partners to help keep the public safe, and today’s figures demonstrate the scale of work we’re undertaking,” Evans added.

The rise in arrests is linked to both global instability and an increased focus on national security cases, including state threats from Russia, China, and Iran. Over 20% of Counter Terrorism Policing’s current investigations now involve countering hostile state activities.

“The ripples of global uncertainty continue to be felt domestically, and that is reflected in the number of arrests our officers made last year,” Evans said. “We have also been clear that our demand has increased when it comes to investigating and disrupting national security-related cases—those linked to state threats.”

The data also revealed that arrests of individuals aged 17 and under decreased slightly, from 43 in 2023 to 39 in 2024. However, law enforcement officials remain concerned about the involvement of young people in terrorism-related offences.

“While the data shows a slight dip in arrests of young people, our teams still arrested a concerning number last year,” Evans noted. “The offences of those who were arrested range from suspicion of possessing a firearm, to those who have allegedly shared terrorist material online, and to those who were thought to be preparing acts of terrorism.”

Counter Terrorism Policing has warned for over five years about the rising number of children and young people involved in terrorism-related casework, stressing the need for collaboration beyond law enforcement to prevent radicalisation.

“This trend cannot be reversed by law enforcement alone. We must continue to work with our partners to stop young people, no matter their age, from causing harm to the public,” Evans added.

The public remains a crucial source of intelligence, with nearly 22,000 reports made to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline and its online counterpart, gov.uk/ACT, in the past year. One in five of these reports was deemed relevant and important enough to be passed to Counter Terrorism Policing officers for further investigation, underscoring the role of public vigilance in national security efforts.