The British War On Terror: Terrorism And Counter-Terrorism On The Home Front Since 9/11

Book Summary

Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the topic of terrorism has been almost continually front-page news in the United Kingdom. The subsequent "war on terror," including the invasion of Iraq, has only heightened interest in the matter. With the London bombings of July 7, 2005, Britain became a frontline in international terrorism and counterterrorism. This reality has only been heightened by the failed terrorist attacks in London on July 21, 2005, and through a series of high profile arrests, including those in August 2006 over an alleged plot to blow-up several airliners using liquid gel explosives and, more recently, in Birmingham surrounding a supposed plan to kidnap and behead a British Muslim soldier. What has been lacking since 2001, however, is a balanced, measured and informed examination of these events that offers a historical and contemporary context to what is occurring in the United Kingdom. This void applies to both studies of terrorist activity and to the response of the state, principally in the form of counterterrorism. Steve Hewitt's new book is an illuminating and fascinating look at this often misunderstood world.

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