Country Profile for UNITED KINGDOM

Alert for United Kingdom

 

Man killed in suspected terrorist attack - 22 May 2013:

A man has been killed in a machete attack in south-east London in what police are treating as a terrorist attack.  Eyewitnesses said two men carried out the attack before they were shot and wounded by armed police. Unconfirmed reports said that the two attackers were shouting "Allah Akbar" or God is Great.

Mortar bombs discovered in Londonderry - 04 March 2013:

Four live mortar bombs have been discovered by police in Londonderry, minutes before they were due to explode.  Police have arrested three men linked to dissident republican organisations in connection with the incident.

Belfast flag protests continue - 08 January 2013:

Police have clashed with protesters for a fifth consecutive night in Belfast over the decision in December to limit the days the union flag flies over the city hall.  The unrest began in the Short Stand area of the city and resulted in three police officers receiving injuries.

Police officers wounded at Belfast City Hall protest - 04 December 2012:

Fifteen police officers have been wounded during a protest at Befast City Hall.  Loyalists were angry that a vote had been passed which ended the policy of flying the union flag at the City Hall all year round.

Sectarian rioting leaves 47 police officers injured - 03 September 2012:

At least 47 police officers have been wounded following sectarian rioting in north Belfast.  The officers were attacked with fireworks and petrol bombs in the Carlisle Circus and Antrim Road areas of the city.

Police officers wounded in Belfast riots - 13 July 2012:

Twenty police officers have been wounded during riots in northern Belfast.  The unrest occurred after an Orange Order parade along the Ardoyne interface, which was followed by a counter-march by dissident republicans.  Rioters threw stones and petrol bombs at police, who responded with water canons and plastic bullets.

AQIM warns UK over Abu Qatada - 30 April 2012:

The Algerian militant group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has threatened Britain that it risks the safety of its citizens if cleric Abu Qatada is extradited to his native Jordan.  The group are also currently holding British-born Stephen Malcolm, who was kidnapped from the Malian city of Timbuktu, and are offering to free him in exchange for Qatada's release.

Bomb discovered in Newry - 28 April 2012:

A 600-pound bomb has been discovered by police in Newry in Northern Ireland.  The devices was fully primed and would have caused devastation if it had exploded.

Two bomb attacks reported in Londonderry - 20 January 2012:

Dissident republican have been blamed for two bomb attacks in Londonderry.  One device exploded at a tourism office, while a second explosion was reported outside a local government building.  Local buildings were evacuated but no injuries were reported.

Bomb explodes in Londonderry, Northern Ireland - 13 October 2011:

A bomb exploded late on Wednesday evening outside of the City of Culture offices in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.  No injuries were reported in the attack, which is the second time the office has been targeted this year.  Dissident republicans have been blamed for the attack.

UK bound plane grounded in Turkey over bomb threat - 07 September 2011:

A passenger plane bound for the UK from Pakistan has been forced to land in Turkey after the airline received a bomb threat by email.  The Boeing 777 was carrying 378 people and was headed from Lahore to Manchester.

Unrest spreads in London and beyond - 09 August 2011:

Rioting and looting has spread throughout London with at least eight new districts affected by violence.  Acts of unrest have also broken out in Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol in what the police have called the worst unrest in living memory.

Two nights of rioting leaves 35 police injured - 08 August 2011:

Two consecutive nights of rioting and looting in London has left 35 police officers with injuries.  More than 170 people were arrested over the weekend after protests spread from Tottenham to Enfield, Walthamstow and Brixton.

Police injured in further Belfast unrest - 12 July 2011:

Twenty-two police officers have been injured during further civil unrest in Belfast, Northern Ireland.  Rioters threw petrol bombs and bricks at police and a hijacked bus was driven at a police cordon.  The violence comes ahead of the annual Twelfth of July Protestant marches.

Second night of violence hits Belfast - 22 June 2011:

There has been further unrest in the Northern Irish city of Belfast with petrol bombs, bottles and bricks thrown at police.  Around 700 people were involved in the rioting and a press photographer was shot in the leg.  Police claim that much of the violence has been caused by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), a loyalist paramilitary group.

Two people shot during Belfast unrest - 21 June 2011:

Two people have been shot during sectarian unrest in the Short Strand area of east Belfast in Northern Ireland.  In west Belfast police were attacked by groups of armed men during which an explosive device was thrown at a police riot van.  It appears that the attacks had been carefully orchestrated and planned.

Bomb thrown into Londonderry bank - 21 May 2011:

A bomb has been thrown into a Santander bank by masked men in the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland.  The device exploded at 1320, however no injuries were reported.  Dissident Republicans are expected to be behind the attack.

Devices found in Dublin ahead of landmark royal visit - 17 May 2011:

Three devices have been discovered near the Irish capital, Dublin, ahead of a landmark visit by Queen Elizabeth II.  A controlled explosion was carried out on a device on a bus heading for Dublin, while the other two devices turned out to be hoaxes.  Dissident Irish republicans are believed to be behind the bomb scare.

Bomb threat received in London - 16 May 2011:

A "non-specific" bomb threat has been received in central London, according to Metropolitan Police.  It has been reported that the source of the threat relates to Irish dissident republicans.  The Mall and a number of other streets in the centre have been closed as police make enquiries. 

UK passenger plane makes emergency landing after bomb threat - 04 April 2011:

A UK passenger plane has made an emergency landing in Athens following a bomb threat.  The plane, which had departed from Bristol Airport, was en-route to the popular resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.

Police officer killed by bomb in Omagh - 03 April 2011:

A County Tyrone police officer has been killed after a bomb planted under his car exploded in Omagh.  No group has taken responsibility for the attack, however dissident republicans are suspected to have been behind it.

European terrorism warning -29 September 2010:

Western intelligence agencies claim to have uncovered an al-Qaeda plot to carry out co-ordinated terrorist attacks in the UK, France and Germany.  In response the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has carried out a number of drone attacks against al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan who are believed to be involved in orchestrating the plot.

United Kingdom Data Sheet

 

Population: 63.1 million

Major Religion/s: : Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism

International dialling code: +44

International dialling prefix: 00

Emergency services: 112/999

Drives: Left

Voltage: 230V

Climate: Temperate

Other Major Cities: Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester

Borders: Ireland

Mobile Networks:

For more information visit:

 

Orange:

http://business.orange.co.uk/home/soletrader/plans/roaming-and-international-plans/international-cost-checker

 

Vodafone:

 http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=templateCClamp&pageID=OS_1110

 

O2:

 http://www.o2international.co.uk/

 

T-Mobile:

 http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/going-abroad/

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