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Home Secretary Theresa May reveals how many UK terrorist plots have been foiled since July 7 bombings

Home Secretary Theresa May reveals how many UK terrorist plots have been foiled since July 7 bombings

Home Secretary Theresa May has revealed 40 terrorist plots have been foiled since the London July 7 attacks more than seven years ago as she underlined the scale of the threat faced by the UK.

As she unveiled broad-ranging new powers to tackle terrorism, Mrs May said 753 people had been arrested for terrorism-related offences since April 2010.

She also said 212 have been charged since the Coalition Government came to power with 148 successfully prosecuted and 138 people are behind bars for terrorist-related offences.

Thirteen people, including hook-handed radical cleric Abu Hamza, have been extradited, while other individuals deemed dangerous, such as Abu Qatada, have been deported.

The Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit has removed 65,000 items from the internet that “encouraged or glorified acts of terrorism”, including 46,000 removed since December last year.

At present, content relating to Islamic State (IS), Syria and Iraq represents around 70% of the Unit’s caseload, she said.

The Home Secretary said she has excluded 61 people on national security grounds and 72 people because their “presence here would not have been conducive to the public good”.

Among these, she has excluded 84 so-called “hate preachers”.

Mrs May has also banned – or proscribed – 74 organisations because they are engaged in or support terrorism.

The Home Secretary also said she has revoked the British citizenship of 27 people since May 2010, the overwhelming majority because of terrorist activities, and since April 2013, she has refused or cancelled 29 passports to disrupt the travel of fanatics planning to engage in terrorism overseas.