Report: UK unprepared for attack

UK's security has gaping holes in the face of a possible terror threat, report says

LONDON, England -- Britain would lack a cohesive and dynamic response in the case of a possible terror attack, a damning report by politicians says.

The UK's Commons Defence Committee report pointed in particular to an expected weakness to handle a chemical, biological or nuclear attack.

Bureaucracy and deficiencies in the training of emergency services would contribute to a failed response, the report added.

The committee had used the September 11 suicide plane attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon as its model to gauge a possible British response.

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The report, released on Wednesday, complained of "inadequate central co-ordination and direction" and "real deficiencies" in the ability of the civil authorities to deal with a major terrorist incident.

The government has since set up a security and central intelligence post to oversee terror threats and announced plans to create a 6,000-strong anti-terror reservist force.

But the report said Britain's fire and ambulance crews lacked the equipment and training to cope with a chemical, biological or nuclear attack, and that there was no role for the regular armed forces.

Crucial radio communications equipment contained "fundamental vulnerabilities," it added.

The report sharply criticised ministers for failing to mount a "proper and comprehensive" review of disaster management procedures following September 11 and the "slow progress" in producing a promised civil contingencies bill.

It said a "strong central authority" was needed to lay down the law in Whitehall and co-ordinate the work of the various government departments involved in emergency planning.

The committee also urged ministers to consider establishing a police National Counter-Terrorism Service to take the lead in anti-terrorism operations within the UK.

It called for a review of security at nuclear power stations, sea ports, and on Royal Navy warships to ensure that they were properly prepared to counter the heightened terrorist threat.

'Lack of grip'

The committee chairman, Labour MP Bruce George, said: "We do believe that there has been a lack of grip and direction on the part of central government.

"We are concerned that central government has not responded to the scale of the complexity of the challenge posed by international terrorism."

The committee was particularly critical of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat which was set up last year before the September 11 attacks specifically to co-ordinate government response to disasters.

"It was unable, however, to use its position at the heart of government to lead a strategic response to the new threats post-11 September," the report said.

"Instead of being the solution to the habitual `departmentalism' of Whitehall, it has become a casualty of it."

The report also calls for increased resources to cope with such an attack. In addition it severely attacks the government for its "irresponsibility" in proposing to put reservists in the face of a possible chemical, biological or nuclear strike.

"We believe that it is irresponsible to offer to put volunteer reserves into a CBRN contaminated environment without also explicitly providing for their protection and training," the report said.

An investigation into the consequences of an attack on a nuclear plant should be launched, while security of Royal Navy ships, especially abroad, should be tightened to protect them from the "real" threat of an asymmetric terrorist strike.

Navy under 'real threat'

The committee did endorse the decision to give ministers rather than officials the responsibility for authorising the shooting down of a civil airliner in the event of a September 11 style suicide attack.

However, it called for "specific additional psychological advice and training" for the fighter crews that would have to carry out the orders.

Downing Street insisted steps had been taken to improve security and emergency planning, but conceded that more needed to be done.

"We have done a lot, we would argue. But equally there is more to be done," the prime minister's official spokesman said.

"We have tightened security in relation to aviation, civil nuclear sites and taken steps to cut off terrorist access to funds.

"On the whole we believe that the crisis machinery works well but it is always open to improvement and clearly we will look carefully at this report."