The head of the Metropolitan Police has warned that a terror attack in Britain is a case of "when, not if".

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, commenting in light of a series of recent jihadist assaults in Europe, said the UK faces a "very real" threat.

He wrote in the Mail on Sunday: "I feel and understand that fear, and as the police officer in charge of preventing such an attack I know you want me to reassure you.

"I am afraid I cannot do that entirely. Our threat level ... means an attack is highly likely - you could say it is a case of when, not if."

Image: Sir Bernard said the UK faces a "very real" threat

The national threat level has been at 'severe' since August 2014 - one below the highest level of 'critical', which means an attack is expected imminently.


Sir Bernard said British gun control laws and the "world-beater" relationship between police, MI5 and MI6 makes the UK environment "immediately hostile" to terror attempts.

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He also highlighted the number of terror plots that have been foiled since the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in May 2013, including one to attack officers at a police station in Shepherd's Bush and a plan to kill soldiers at a US Air Force base in East Anglia.

Counter terror police are currently investigating the attempted abduction of a serviceman at RAF Marham in Norfolk, but other motives have not been ruled out.

Image: E-fit images released of RAF Marham attempted abduction

Britain's top officer also praised the nation's "tolerance and acceptance", saying that the "shared values" of communities also make the UK less susceptible to extremism.

But he also said that the "British way of life and culture" made the UK hostile to terrorists.

He wrote that "defeating terrorism is as much about refusing to be afraid as anything else", and suggested that the public enjoyed a healthier relationship with officers than elsewhere in Europe because because officers are unarmed.