Since the July attacks in London, security and the prevention of a terrorist attack has moved up the agenda for both security providers and their clients but are we dealing with this threat in the right way? Senate’s Paul Keeling argues that many security companies have been slow to realise the key differences between terrorists in 2005 and those we dealt with back in the 1970s and ‘80s, and many are failing to take measures which will effectively combat this new threat. Here Paul – a counter terrorism expert – provides an overview of the issues for security providers and the key points to action.

Britain is certainly no stranger to terrorism and many of us were no doubt involved in activity designed to thwart the actions of groups such as the IRA back in the 1970s and ‘80s. But the threat posed by today’s terrorists is very different.