TERROR WARNING: Terrorists ‘to target smaller UK towns & cities in Nice-style attacks’

JIHADIS looking to strike terror across the UK could target less protected rural towns and cities outside London, security experts have warned.

Officials are concerned the horrific murder of innocent lives in Nice shows a change in tact for vile terror cell Islamic State, turning away from their trend of targeting capitals to striking smaller cities with less security presence.

Former Metropolitan Police counter-terror officer David Videcette has claimed terrorists may be trying to take advantage of Britain’s vulnerable areas.

He said: “At events like the Notting Hill Carnival, there will be a huge police presence as always. There will be lots of specialist officers around that you do not see.

“But it is a very different story at some of the events that take place outside of London. Some of the smaller forces do not have the same resources and having to balance a budget means they have fewer officers.

“There has been a culture of trying to do more with less, but that is something that can be exploited.”

Earlier this year John Apter of the Police federations Hampshire branch claimed rural police would be “sitting ducks” should terrorists launch armed attacks.

He claimed that potential targets like power stations could be hit by would be jihadis, and hi lighted fears a growing shortage of police marksmen could leave officers and the public in danger.

He said: “Being realistic, if a firearms unit was coming from the middle of the county you are still talking about 30 miles away – you are not talking about a few minutes.

“So the only only officers available are unarmed and vulnerable.

“They are saying to me that in a terrorist situation they would be sitting ducks.”

Last years MPs highlighted Kent as potential target, and called on counter-terrorist forces to secure a sunken ship full of WWII explosives from extremists.

The SS Richard Montgomery – which some call the Doomsday Boat- sank into the shallow waters of the Kent coast with its cargo of 1,400 tonnes of munitions after grounding on a sand bank.

It’s masts can be seen poking out of the water, and the area is surrounded by a 500m exclusion zone.

If triggered, the blast would cause one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in human history – and engulf the South East in devastating floods.

At the time a security source said: “Terrorists could create a lot of damage for very little effort if they blew this thing up. It is no surprise the ship has been branded a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.”