Britain unveils anti-terror force

The reserves would come from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain has announced plans to create a 6,000-strong force to counter possible terror attacks.

The reservists, drawn from the existing 50,000-strong Territorial Army (TAs), would aid emergency services such as the police and fire brigades in the event of a possible chemical, nuclear or biological strike by terrorists.

The UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced the proposal on Wednesday, saying the reserves would be drawn from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force.

The announcement came a day after a terror expert said al Qaeda had planned to carry out an attack on the UK's most identifiable landmark, Big Ben, on September 11 but were foiled when planes were grounded at Heathrow Airport following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. (Full Story)

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Hoon, unveiling a discussion paper detailing the proposal, was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "This work sets out how military arrangements for liaising with the civil authorities could be enhanced and how best to coordinate military assistance to them if requested."

He told CNN a special department would not be necessary to handle the reservists because a Home Office was already in place which has coordinated efforts to tackle attacks by the Irish Republican Army on mainland Britain during the past 20 years.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and his ministers have rejected calls for the UK to set up an equivalent of the United States' new department of Homeland Security announced by President George W. Bush last week.

The U.S. plans to carry out a major overhaul of government to create a new 170,000-strong Cabinet agency for homeland security.

CNN's European Political Editor Robin Oakley said the British measures "are not remotely on the same scale as the U.S.."

"Some people have said 'Why are we not doing the same?'

"Hoon says we have a home secretary already who is in control of the police and fire brigade which has a lot of experience during the past 20 years with the IRA."

The 6,000 reservists would be split between six specialised areas such as communications, site clearance, holding back crowds and guarding key institutions.

They would be equipped and trained to deal with nuclear, chemical or biological attacks.

The paper also made clear that the full might of the armed forces, not just reservists, could be called upon in the event of a serious attack.

Morocco arrested suspects alleged to be planning an assault on British naval vessels moored off the port of Gibraltar this week, and the reports of a foiled al Qaeda plane strike on Big Ben emerged on Tuesday.

"After September 11 governments everywhere have had to plan what they would do in the event of a major civil emergency, especially the UK government," Oakley added.

"Standing shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. in the war against terrorism, Blair knows, he has made Britain a potential terrorist target too."