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Security services have prevented 13 potential terror attacks since June 2013, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism police officer has revealed.

Assistant commissioner Mark Rowley also said there were 500 live counter-terror investigations at any time. He disclosed the figures as he launched an appeal, Action Counters Terrorism, for the public to report suspicions.

Information from the public has helped police in a third of the most high-risk investigations, figures show. It has also contributed to stopping some of the 13 attacks – a figure one higher than the last update, given in October. Police have not detailed what the 13 incidents since 2013 were.

Describing the public’s contribution as “extraordinary”, Mr Rowley said: “Some of that information is a change in someone’s behaviour, some of that’s about suspicious activity. “Sometimes that public information has actually started an investigation. “Other times it’s part way through and it corroborates some things or adds to things we already know.” He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that despite the public already playing a big part, some people said they were “slightly reluctant” to come forward and not sure of the help that police needed.

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Syrian government forces and their Russian backers have completely recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from so-called Islamic State (IS) militants, the two allies say.

The army and other pro-government forces were reported to have entered deep into the city after IS pulled out. It ends the second occupation of Palmyra by the jihadists.

The first time they controlled the area, the militants destroyed some of its most celebrated monuments.

IS fighters were driven out in March last year, but managed to retake the city, its world famous ruins and the surrounding area.

Syria’s Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari confirmed the recapture on Thursday. He said the city had been “liberated from the hands of the terrorist organisation” and that President Bashar al-Assad had kept his promise to drive them out.

In Russia, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was reported by local media to have told President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that Palmyra had been fully retaken by the Syrian army with help from the Russian air force.

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An unexploded World War Two bomb has been found on a building site in north-west London.

The 500lb (227kg) device was discovered in The Avenue, Brondesbury Park, shortly before midday.

All homes within a 200m radius and a nearby nursery school were evacuated after police and fire crews were called to the scene.

The site will not be made safe until at least Friday afternoon, Brent Council has warned. It has set up a centre for people who are unable to return home.

An Army bomb disposal team is working to make the bomb safe.

A spokesperson for the council said the bomb will not be made safe until “at least Friday afternoon”, although there have been warnings that it could take longer.

One local resident said that “these things do happen” as London was bombed heavily in the war, but “it’s just now inconveniencing me massively”. “I understand it’s for security reason but it’s just annoying”, another resident said.

Supt Nigel Quantrell of the Met Police said specialist teams “are working very hard to resolve the situation”.

The Swedish government has decided to reintroduce military conscription – a move backed by the country’s MPs.

The decision means that 4,000 men and women will be called up for service from 1 January 2018, a defence ministry spokeswoman said.

They will be selected from about 13,000 young people born in 1999, who will be asked to take psychological and physical tests, Marinette Radebo said.

Sweden, a neutral country, is worried about Russia’s Baltic military drills.

In September, a Swedish garrison was restored to Gotland, a big island lying between the Swedish mainland and the three ex-Soviet Baltic states. Ms Radebo said the return to conscription was prompted by “the change in our neighbourhood… Russian military activity is one of the reasons”.
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Some police forces are putting the public at risk by rationing their response as they struggle with cutbacks, the police standards watchdog has warned.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary said some forces are “downgrading” 999 calls, in order to justify responding to them more slowly.

HMIC’s report found that most of the 43 forces in England and Wales were providing a good service.
But that others have let victims down.

The inspectors said there are now too few detectives and in some areas an erosion of neighbourhood policing.

The former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, said that forces will have to do things differently in the future, if the government continues to ask them “to do more with less”.

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