MI5's Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, based in MI5's headquarters in Millbank, London, co-ordinates Britain's fight against terror. Set up in May 2003, the centre brings together Britain's primary security stakeholders into one centralised unit.
It is overseen by MI5 and commanded by the Defence Intelligence Staff. Its membership includes members of MI6's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) - who mainly operate abroad - along with the police authorities including Special Branch and the Security Section of the department of transport.
The centre also incorporates members of the British government's communications headquarters, which along with MI5, MI6 and military intelligence generates the vast bulk of Britain's intelligence on suspects both at home and abroad.
By incorporating the various authorities under one command structure, the British government has sought to avoid the gaps in intelligence gathering and internal communication apparently evident among their counterparts in the US prior to al-Qaeda's 9/11 attacks on New York.
The recent attacks in London demonstrate the challenges faced in monitoring the type of terrorist cell operated by al-Qaeda and its surrogate groups.
Until very recently, intelligence services have focused on the detection of centralised terrorist cells either domestically or internationally and the monitoring of relatively small networks of terrorist suspects - such as the Provisional IRA in the past.
However, with the advent of previously unknown would-be suicide bombers from British communities - with no prior criminal or intelligence profiles - the focus of intelligence agencies has of late had to shift to a much wider monitoring of large ethnic or religious communities.
This shift in focus is a very recent development and represents a considerable drain on Britain's security resources. In the immediate to short term, the police will form the front line in combating the type of terrorist operation currently being launched in Britain.
With plastic explosives almost impossible to detect once in circulation, and with unknown bombers with a suicide propensity - to all intents and purposes, innocent citizens going about their business - determined to hit "soft" targets such as commuters on mass transport systems, the British authorities will have to rely on a vigilant public along with a highly visible police presence to prevent such attacks.
In short, the British authorities are in the initial phases of evolving a response to the current terrorist threat. This is the reaction phase. Some security figures estimate that the current threat may persist for several years before intelligence gathering and counter measures begin to contain the problem.
Until then, Britain will have to rely on swift reaction times on the part of the authorities in order to minimise the damage.
In this regard, Tony Blair currently chairs the "Cobra" committee, whose acronym is based on the location of its headquarters - Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, in Downing Street. Cobra consists of senior ministers including Home Secretary Charles Clark, along with MI5 and senior representatives from the police, fire services and medical response teams. Cobra can initiate a co-ordinated response to a crisis within minutes.
The response capability of Cobra saved hundreds of lives in the vital "golden hour" on July 7th. At present, it represents Britain's second line of defence. The JTAC along with an informed and vigilant citizenry currently comprise its first line of defence against the terrorist threat.
Tom Clonan is a former Army officer
