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Counter Terrorism Command
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| Counter Terrorism Command | |
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| Active | 2 October 2006 – present (formed from the merger of the |
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| Operations jurisdiction | |
| Headquarters | New Scotland Yard, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2JL |
| Abbreviation | SO15 |
| Part of a series on |
| Counterterrorism and Countering violent extremism |
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Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) or SO15 is a Specialist Operations branch within London's Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police.[1] The Counter Terrorism Command was established as a result of the merging of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and Special Branch (SO12) in October 2006, bringing together intelligence, operations, and investigative functions to form a single command.[1] CTC has more than 1,500 police officers and staff, and a number of investigators based overseas and also hosts the Counter Terrorism Policing headquarters.
It originated in 1883 as the Irish Bureau, or Special Irish Branch as it became known, formed in 1883 at New Scotland Yard by the then Home Secretary Sir William Harcourt. It consisted of just 12 detectives aiming to defeat the "Fenian" terrorist campaign that had been on-going in London and across the country. By November 2013, the form of CTC had grown to comprise 1790 staff including 1350 police officers and 600 detectives working in 75 specialist units with the capability to respond proactively or reactively anywhere in the world.
Responsibilities
[edit]According to Counter Terrorism Command's website,[1] the Command’s overriding priority is to keep the public safe and to disrupt terrorist-related activity in the United Kingdom and against UK interests overseas by:
- Detecting, investigating, and preventing terrorist threats and networks.
- Working with partner agencies to acquire and use intelligence and evidence about terrorism and extremism.
- Ensuring that Counter Terrorism Command activity is focused, delivering value for money, productivity and an efficient and effective use of our resources.
- Engaging, building and maintaining working relationships with boroughs, local communities, national and international partners to better understand their needs and to use their expertise and experience in jointly combating the terrorist threat.
- Working with communities, partners, institutions, groups and other agencies providing advice and support to tackle the ideologies that drive terrorism and extremism.
- Supporting, working and collaborating within the Counter Terrorism Policing network.
The Counter Terrorism Command has a number of other national security functions. It deals with sensitive national security investigations, such as Official Secrets Act enquiries, the investigation of war crimes (effectively making it the successor to the Met's War Crimes Unit) and crimes against humanity, and politically motivated murders.[1]
Counter Terrorism Command is part of the Counter Terrorism Policing network. [2][3] It is overseen by the counter-terrorism coordination committee, chaired by Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes of the Metropolitan Police Service.[2] As part of its role in the Counter Terrorism Policing network, SO15 operate against the threat of terrorism at a local, national, and international level and engages with a range of partners to prevent terrorist related activity, including the Security Service (MI5) and Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).[1]
Known operations
[edit]In its present form Counter Terrorism Command has been responsible for investigating several high-profile terrorist incidents, including:
- Cargo planes bomb plot or "Printer bomb" (2010)
- 2017 Westminster attack
- Manchester Arena bombing (2017)
- 2017 London Bridge attack
- Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, 2018 Amesbury poisonings
- 2020 Forbury Gardens stabbings
- Murder of David Amess (2021)
- Liverpool Women's Hospital bombing (2021)
Through the International Operations branch of Counter Terrorism Command, SO15 has proactively deployed officers around the world as well as in response to terrorist incidents in support of host countries and to investigate when British nationals are the victims of acts of terrorism. Such investigations include:
- Kidnap of Judith Tebbutt and the murder of David Tebbutt in Kenya (2012)
- In Amenas siege (2013)
- Westgate siege in Nairobi (2013)
- Sousse attacks in Tunisia (2015)[4]
Heads
[edit]This position is formally known as Head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, and is given the title Commander or Acting Commander.[5]
| No. | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commander Peter Clarke | 2006 | 2008 | [6] |
| 2 | Commander John McDowall | 2008 | 2011 | |
| 3 | Commander Richard Walton | 2011 | 2015 | |
| 4 | Commander Dean Haydon | 2015 | 2018 | [7] |
| – | Acting Commander Clarke Jarrett | 2018 | 2019 | [5] |
| 5 | Commander Richard Smith | 2019 | Incumbent | [5] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Counter Terrorism Command website". Counter Terrorism Command. MPS. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Counter-terrorism". Counter Terrorism Policing. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ "Background | CTU". Counter Terrorism Police - North East. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ Walton, Richard (November 2013). 130 years of Counter Terrorism Policing at Scotland Yard. SO15.
- ^ a b c "Commander Richard Smith is Metropolitan Police's New Head of Counter Terrorism Command". 28 August 2019.
- ^ "The Guardian profile: Peter Clarke". TheGuardian.com. 28 July 2005.
- ^ "Dean Haydon appointed as Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing".
External links
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Counter Terrorism Command
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History
Origins and Early Development
The predecessors of the Counter Terrorism Command originated in the early 1970s amid a surge in bombings by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) targeting London during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. A small team of approximately 12 detectives was established within the Metropolitan Police Service to investigate these attacks, which included high-profile incidents such as the 1973 Old Bailey bombing and the 1974 Guildford and Birmingham pub bombings. This unit formalized as the Anti-Terrorist Branch (designated SO13), focusing on the detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist offenses, primarily those linked to Irish republican groups responsible for over 1,800 bombings in mainland Britain between 1970 and 1998.[7] Early development of SO13 emphasized reactive investigations into PIRA operations, often involving forensic analysis, witness protection, and coordination with MI5 for intelligence leads, as the branch lacked dedicated counter-intelligence functions. By the 1980s and 1990s, the unit expanded to handle complex cases like the 1982 Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings, which killed 11 people, and the 1993 Bishopsgate bombing causing £1 billion in damage.[8] Personnel grew from dozens to hundreds, with specialized squads for explosives and forensics, reflecting the persistent threat from PIRA's mainland campaign that accounted for around 125 deaths in England.[9] The branch operated under the Terrorism Act provisions, prioritizing evidence collection for trials while navigating jurisdictional overlaps with regional forces. The transition to the Counter Terrorism Command began in the early 2000s, driven by post-9/11 assessments highlighting silos between investigative (SO13) and intelligence (SO12 Special Branch) roles. A 2005 review recommended amalgamation to enhance proactive disruption of plots, culminating in the formal merger on 2 October 2006 to create SO15, integrating approximately 1,000 staff initially.[10] This restructuring addressed evolving threats beyond Irish terrorism, including Islamist extremism, by unifying operations under a single command structure within the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Operations directorate.[1]Formation and Initial Reorganization
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), designated as SO15 within the Metropolitan Police Service's Specialist Operations directorate, was established in October 2006 through the merger of the Anti-Terrorist Branch (SO13) and the Special Branch (SO12).[10][11] This reorganization integrated investigative functions previously handled by SO13, which focused on terrorism-related crimes and prosecutions, with the intelligence-gathering capabilities of SO12, aiming to create a unified structure for proactive counter-terrorism operations.[1] The merger was prompted by the need for enhanced coordination following the 7 July 2005 London bombings, which exposed gaps in fusing intelligence and operational response within the Metropolitan Police.[1] Initial reorganization efforts emphasized centralizing resources under a single command to improve efficiency in detecting and disrupting terrorist networks, drawing on lessons from prior fragmented approaches where Special Branch handled protective security and intelligence while SO13 managed post-incident investigations.[10] The new entity inherited approximately 1,000 personnel from the predecessor units, including detectives, analysts, and support staff, and was headquartered at New Scotland Yard with operational teams distributed across London boroughs.[11] Early priorities included vetting processes for staff handling sensitive national security material and establishing protocols for collaboration with MI5 and other agencies, reflecting a shift toward intelligence-led policing amid rising threats from Islamist extremism.[1] By late 2006, CTC had begun operationalizing its restructured framework, with dedicated units for surveillance, financial investigations, and international liaison, marking a departure from siloed operations to a more holistic model that supported the UK's broader CONTEST strategy.[11] This initial phase also involved absorbing elements of regional counter-terrorism intelligence units, setting the stage for CTC's expansion into a national lead force, though challenges such as resource allocation and inter-agency turf persisted in the early years.[1]Expansion and Evolution Post-2006
Following its establishment in October 2006, the Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) expanded its capabilities to address evolving threats, including the rise of online radicalization and terrorist financing, through the creation of specialized national units hosted within its structure. In February 2010, the Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) was launched under the auspices of the Association of Chief Police Officers (now the National Police Chiefs' Council) to detect, assess, and refer unlawful terrorist content online for removal by internet service providers.[12] By 2010, CTIRU had processed referrals leading to the assessment of over 5,700 pieces of content against UK terrorism legislation.[13] This unit, integrated into CTC operations, marked a shift toward proactive cyber countermeasures, supporting investigations by facilitating the disruption of propaganda dissemination. CTC also assumed responsibility for the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (NTFIU), which conducts nationwide probes into the financial networks supporting terrorism, reflecting post-2006 efforts to enhance economic disruption tactics as outlined in the UK's CONTEST strategy revisions.[2] The command further incorporated the War Crimes Team to investigate international atrocities linked to terrorist groups, broadening its mandate beyond domestic threats to include global coordination. These additions aligned with greater integration into the Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) network, a collaborative framework of UK forces that evolved from post-7/7 reforms to enable regional and national intelligence sharing with MI5 and other partners.[14] Organizational evolution emphasized intelligence-led prevention, with CTC leading London-based investigations while supporting the CTP's national operations, including post-2010 responses to plots involving homegrown extremism.[15] This included enhanced cooperation with security services for evidence gathering to secure prosecutions, as threats diversified to encompass lone actors and digital spaces. By hosting international liaison officers and contributing to CONTEST's Prevent strand, CTC adapted to a sustained terrorism risk level, prioritizing empirical threat assessment over localized responses.[16]Organizational Structure
Integration with Metropolitan Police and Counter Terrorism Policing
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), designated as SO15 within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), operates as a specialist operations branch responsible for leading investigations into terrorism and related threats primarily within London, while drawing on MPS resources for operational support. Established as part of the MPS's Specialist Operations directorate, CTC integrates directly into the force's hierarchical structure, headed by a commander-rank officer who reports through the MPS chain of command. This embedding allows CTC to leverage the MPS's broader capabilities, including uniformed response units and intelligence gathering, to execute arrests, surveillance, and disruptions tailored to the capital's high-threat environment.[4] Within the national framework, CTC forms the core of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London, a collaborative entity involving the MPS and City of London Police, which extends CTC's remit to host specialized national and international functions such as the War Crimes Team, National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, and Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit. This integration facilitates seamless coordination for London-specific prevent and disrupt activities, including counter-radicalization efforts under the Prevent program, while channeling resources from regional partners into centralized investigations. CTC's role ensures that local MPS operations align with CTP priorities, enabling rapid deployment of over 40 international liaison officers for overseas intelligence sharing.[2] At the national level, CTC contributes to the CTP network—a collaborative structure of 11 regional Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs) and Counter Terrorism Intelligence Units (CTIUs) across UK police forces—by providing operational leadership for complex, cross-jurisdictional cases and supporting CTP Headquarters in policy formulation and government representation. CTP Headquarters, functioning on behalf of the National Police Chiefs' Council, coordinates the network's governance, including specialist teams for forensics, digital exploitation, and chemical-biological-radiological-nuclear threats, with CTC's MPS-hosted operations serving as a central hub for integration with MI5 and other intelligence partners. This structure enhances resource pooling and threat assessment, allowing CTC to lead national responses while regional units handle localized intelligence, thereby maintaining a unified counter-terrorism posture without supplanting individual force autonomy.[14][7]Personnel, Resources, and Operational Capabilities
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), also known as SO15, employs over 1,800 officers and staff across approximately 70 specialized units, positioning it as one of the largest commands in the Metropolitan Police Service.[17] This workforce includes detectives, intelligence analysts, financial investigators, and operational specialists focused on preventing and responding to terrorist threats within London and supporting national efforts. CTC also maintains around 40 Counter Terrorism Police Liaison Officers deployed internationally to enhance global intelligence exchange and operational partnerships.[2] Resources allocated to CTC encompass dedicated funding for technology and infrastructure, integrated within the broader Counter Terrorism Policing network's budget, which has seen incremental increases to address evolving threats, such as a £50 million uplift announced in 2017 for national counter-terrorism policing.[18] Key investments include advanced surveillance and monitoring systems; for instance, during the 2012 London Olympics, CTC expended £2 million on social media monitoring software featuring sentiment analysis to detect potential threats in real time.[19] These resources leverage the Metropolitan Police's extensive CCTV infrastructure and state-of-the-art command-and-control centers to coordinate responses.[19] Operationally, CTC leads complex investigations into terrorist plots, financing, and online radicalization, incorporating units such as the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit for tracing illicit funds and the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for content removal under the National Digital Exploitation Service.[2] It conducts covert surveillance through dedicated teams, integrates intelligence from fusion cells involving multiple agencies, and provides armed response capabilities for high-risk interventions.[19] Additionally, CTC supports Prevent programs across London boroughs and extends investigative assistance to the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, enabling rapid deployment for threat disruption and post-incident analysis.[2] These capabilities emphasize proactive intelligence-led policing, drawing on international operations teams for cross-border coordination.[2]Responsibilities and Mandate
Detection, Prevention, and Investigation
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), designated as SO15 within the Metropolitan Police Service, employs intelligence-led approaches to detect potential terrorist threats, primarily through collaboration with MI5 and regional counter-terrorism units to gather and analyze information on suspects, networks, and emerging risks.[10] This detection process involves proactive surveillance, monitoring of online extremism via the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit, and intelligence sharing across the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing network to identify preparatory acts before they escalate.[20][2] Prevention efforts focus on disrupting plots and deterring radicalization, integrating law enforcement actions such as arrests, asset seizures by the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit, and support for the government's Prevent programme to intervene with at-risk individuals through multi-agency referrals and deradicalization measures.[21][22] CTC operations emphasize early intervention to thwart attacks, as evidenced by their role in coordinating national responses that prioritize evidence-based disruptions over reactive measures alone.[7] In investigation, CTC leads complex probes into terrorist incidents and foiled plots, utilizing Major Incident Rooms to index and review gathered material, including forensic evidence, digital traces, and witness statements, often extending to international inquiries like war crimes or overseas attacks.[23] These efforts culminate in prosecutions, supported by specialized units for financial and cyber-related terrorism, ensuring comprehensive attribution and evidence chains that withstand judicial scrutiny.[22][2]National Security and International Collaboration
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), as the lead specialist unit within Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), plays a central role in safeguarding UK national security by coordinating the detection, disruption, and prosecution of terrorist threats across the country. Operating under the national CTP framework established in 2015, CTC integrates with regional Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs) in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as specialist teams for forensics, digital exploitation, and financial investigations, to provide unified operational response to domestic and transnational threats. This structure enables CTC to support the UK's CONTEST counter-terrorism strategy, which emphasizes intelligence-led prevention and has contributed to foiling 22 Islamist-related plots since March 2017, including attacks targeting public transport and crowded events. CTC's mandate extends to investigating state-sponsored activities and war crimes, enhancing national resilience against hybrid threats from actors such as hostile states.[7][24] Domestically, CTC collaborates closely with the Security Service (MI5) and other intelligence partners to assess and respond to the UK's terrorism threat level, which stood at "Substantial" (an attack likely) as of October 2023, driven primarily by Northern Ireland-related terrorism and domestic extremism alongside international influences. Joint operations involve sharing intelligence through mechanisms like the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), where CTC provides law enforcement expertise to inform threat evaluations and protective measures. This partnership has been critical in addressing evolving risks, such as online radicalization and encrypted communications, with CTC leading the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) to remove over 300,000 pieces of terrorist material from the internet since 2014.[25][26][2] Internationally, CTC facilitates collaboration through the deployment of Counter Terrorism Police Liaison Officers (CTPLOs), with SO15 (CTC's designation) officers posted overseas since at least April 2022 under Home Office auspices to build capacity, share intelligence, and disrupt plots originating abroad that target the UK. These efforts support bilateral partnerships with key allies, including Five Eyes nations, and multilateral bodies like Europol and Interpol, enabling joint task forces on foreign terrorist fighters and cross-border financing networks. For instance, CTC has contributed to extraditions and evidence-sharing under mutual legal assistance treaties, as outlined in UNODC guidelines on international cooperation in terrorism-related criminal matters. Such engagements align with the UK's post-Brexit focus on targeted law enforcement alliances, prioritizing high-threat regions in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe to counter migration of threats and enhance border security.[27][28][29]Major Operations
Pre-2010 Investigations
The Counter Terrorism Command (CTC), formerly designated SO15 following its formation in October 2006 through the merger of the Metropolitan Police's SO13 Anti-Terrorist Branch and SO12 Special Branch, inherited and expanded investigations into Islamist terrorist networks active in the UK. One of its earliest high-profile operations involved the culmination of probes into the July 21, 2005, failed bombing attempts in London, where four men attempted to detonate rucksack bombs on public transport but fled after malfunctions. The investigation, initially led by predecessor units, resulted in convictions on July 11, 2007, with Muktar Said Ibrahim and three co-defendants found guilty of conspiracy to murder; Ibrahim received a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years. This case underscored CTC's role in prosecuting copycat attacks inspired by the July 7 bombings, yielding forensic evidence from dud devices containing TATP explosive. The most significant pre-2010 investigation was Operation Overt, targeting the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot to detonate liquid explosives on multiple flights from London to North America. On August 10, 2006, Metropolitan Police arrested 24 suspects, including ringleader Abdullah Ahmed Ali, following MI5 intelligence on reconnaissance of Heathrow flights and bomb-making tests at a east London flat. The plot involved smuggling hydrogen peroxide-based liquids disguised as beverages onto up to 10 airliners, potentially killing thousands; evidence included martyrdom videos, airline tickets, and explosive precursors seized during raids.[30] [31] Trials commenced in 2008 at Woolwich Crown Court, with a jury convicting Ali, Tanvir Hussain, and Assad Sarwar on September 7, 2009, of conspiracy to murder using improvised explosive devices; each received life sentences with minimum terms of 20 to 40 years. Four others pleaded guilty earlier, while 10 were acquitted or had charges dropped, highlighting evidential challenges in proving intent amid partial al-Qaeda direction from Pakistan.[32] This operation, coordinated with international partners including the FBI and Pakistani ISI, disrupted a sophisticated al-Qaeda-linked scheme and prompted global aviation security reforms, such as liquid restrictions. CTC's lead in arrests, searches, and prosecutions demonstrated its capacity for rapid, intelligence-driven responses to mass-casualty threats.[30]Post-2017 Responses and Foiled Plots
Following the terrorist attacks in Westminster (March 22, 2017), Manchester Arena (May 22, 2017), and London Bridge (June 3, 2017), Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) led the investigations into these incidents, coordinating with national intelligence agencies and regional forces under the Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) network.[33] These probes resulted in the identification of broader networks, including the arrest of 22 individuals linked to the Manchester bombing by July 2017, and implementation of recommendations from independent reviews, such as enhanced intelligence sharing and proactive disruption tactics.[34] CTC's role expanded to include rapid response deployments and forensic analysis, contributing to post-attack inquiries that emphasized early intervention in radicalization pathways.[7] In response, CTC and CTP adopted more aggressive pre-emptive measures, including increased surveillance and community-based intelligence gathering, which correlated with a surge in arrests. By November 2017, CTC foiled an imminent plot through arrests in London and Birmingham, preventing an attack deemed "late-stage" by officials.[35] Home Office data indicate that from March 2017 to May 2025, CTP—coordinated by CTC as the lead specialist command—foiled 43 late-stage terrorist plots across ideologies, primarily Islamist extremism (approximately 75% of cases) and extreme right-wing terrorism.[36] This included 32 plots disrupted by December 2021, with CTC directly involved in operations targeting London-based threats.[37] Notable CTC-led disruptions post-2017 include:- 2018 London Vehicle Ramming Plot: On April 10, 2018, CTC arrested a suspect planning a vehicle-borne attack in central London, inspired by Islamist ideology; the individual was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.[38]
- 2018 All-Female Jihadist Plot: In February 2018, CTC dismantled a family-led scheme for ramming and stabbing attacks in London, resulting in life sentences for key plotters Safaa and Rizlaine Boular.
- 2019 St. Paul's Cathedral Bomb Plot: Arrested on October 10, 2019, a suspect was convicted for planning an explosive device attack on the landmark, highlighting CTC's focus on symbolic targets.[38]
- 2022 Speakers' Corner Plot: CTC arrested individuals on September 23, 2022, for a knife attack scheme at the Hyde Park site, linked to Islamist motives.[38]
- 2023-2025 Synagogue and Community Plots: CTC contributed to foiling multiple extreme right-wing and jihadist schemes targeting Jewish sites, including a June 2023 Hove synagogue plan and 2024 plots in Yorkshire and Northwest England against synagogues, mosques, and military personnel.[38]