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A US report investigating links between Britain and Pakistan says that "a physical and ideological terrorism pipeline" exists between the countries.
The report, published by centre-right think tank The Heritage Foundation, argues that "Pakistan is central" to terrorist plots in Britain.
More than a quarter of those convicted of terrorism in the UK trained or tried to train in Pakistan or Afghanistan.
It also warned that British "homegrown" terrorism constitutes a major threat.
The Heritage Foundation, examined data from "major Islamist terrorist plots" in Britain between 11 September 2001 and early August 2009.
Homegrown threat
The authors, Ted Bromund and Morgan Roach, said the data they analysed showed that 19 out of the 87 individuals convicted of terrorism offences in Britain had family ties to Pakistan.
At least one was a Pakistani citizen, they say, and 61 were affiliated with al-Qaeda.
They also warn of British homegrown terrorism citing the 18 individuals linked to major plots over the past eight years who were trained in Britain - more than in any other country except Pakistan.
The report also noted that North Africa posed a threat, with at least 13 individuals having ties to the region, six of whom were Algerians.
Participation from the Middle East, the report says, was "comparatively insignificant".
The threat, it concludes, came from individuals affiliated with al-Qaeda, making "Islamist terrorism in Britain another front in the war that al-Qaeda is waging now in Pakistan and Afghanistan".
Border control
Mr Bromund and Mr Roach say that Britain and America "need to break the Pakistan-UK terrorism pipeline."
"Breaking that pipeline is just as important as, but far more difficult than, ending the flow of trained men from Pakistan into Britain."
They believe that the current war in Afghanistan is key to breaking the "pipeline", saying that "a premature US and British military retreat from Afghanistan would allow that country to serve again as an international terrorist haven and would embolden Al Qaeda and its affiliates to export their ambitions regionally and globally.
In line with the Heritage Foundation's Eurosceptic credentials, the authors also recommend that Britain take action to control its borders, adding that further European integration would imperil Britain's ability to control its ports of entry.
The data, the authors say, shows that out of the 87 individuals convicted of terrorism in Britain, 21 had entered Britain illegally or under false pretences. |
