‘No call is a waste of time’ – that’s the key message of a national counter-terrorism campaign launched across the UK.
The public are being encouraged to pick up the phone and report any activity or behaviour which is suspicious or out of the ordinary to the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.
The annual campaign will run for a month (from March 8) on national and regional radio, in national and regional press and in a range of magazines.
The advert includes a picture of what appears to be a normal neighbourhood garage brimming with bottles of chemicals and boxes. It asks the reader to consider what they see and questions whether the garage is being used by a handyman, a pest controller – or whether it is being used as storage by a bomb maker.
In addition to the adverts, leaflets are being delivered to around four million homes across the country. The leaflet contains the same garage images and also includes a list of suspicious activities that residents should keep an eye out for.
While the threat of a terrorist attack in the United Kingdom remains real and serious the advertising campaign has not been launched in response to any specific threat.
DAC Stuart Osborne, Senior National Co-ordinator Counter Terrorism, stressed that any information passed to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline is treated in the strictest of confidence.
All information is thoroughly analysed and researched by experienced officers, before, and if any, police action is taken.
“Experience has shown us that terrorists do live alongside us in our communities,” said DAC Osborne.
“While they will try and hide what they are doing they can leave tell-tale signs behind and that is where the public can help us by looking out for activity or behaviour which strikes them as suspicious or out of the ordinary.
“We must not become complacent. We all have a responsibility to remain vigilant. I would urge anyone who has any concerns about possible terrorist-related activity to contact police through the Anti-Terrorist Hotline.”
Detective Inspector Steve Baker from Special Branch at Northumbria Police said: “Just one phone call could help disrupt a terrorist plan and save lives.
“The message is clear, we should not assume that someone else has already passed on vital information which could stop terrorists in their tracks.
“It doesn’t matter how insignificant you think the information is, if you suspect it then report it, as it could be the last piece of information in a jigsaw that we need to disrupt them.
“If something seems out of the ordinary or out of place, don’t rely on others, ring the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.
“Any information passed will be treated in the strictest confidence. If the threat is immediate, ring 999.”
To find out more information on preventing terrorism please visit our Preventing Terrorism page.