MI5 foil IS plot to target Isle of Wight Festival for terror outrage on 90,000 people

• Islamist terrorism accounts for about two thirds of attacks since 2018 

MI5 operatives have foiled a plot from Islamic extremists to unleash terror at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Last year, a tip-off led officers from Britain’s intelligence agency to believe a 15-year-old boy was thought to be setting up an attack on the festival which is attended by about 90,000 every year.

According to claims made by the Sun, the youth was ‘inspired’ by the Islamic State.

A security source revealed: ‘The threat of a mainland terror attack of scale is still an active and live threat.’

It comes after counter-terrorism police this week revealed they have foiled 39 recent terror incidents, including attacks on Pride and Members of Parliament.

Last year, a tip-off led officers from Britain’s intelligence agency to believe a 15-year-old boy was thought to be setting up an attack on the festival which is attended by about 90,000 every year

The source said that terror locations are ‘carefully planned to cause maximum damage’.

They also claimed that while there has been a rise of far-right extremism, it is ‘Islamic-inspired terrorism’ taking up most of the security service’s time. 

Another plot saw Mathew King, 19, target an army barracks and magistrates court.

He has since been jailed for life after MI5 officers acted on intelligence provided by the Prevent strategy, which aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists or carrying out attacks.

King, who’s originally from Wickford in Essex, had aspirations of joining IS and had expressed desires to murder a marine and other targets with a woman identified only as Miss A in court.

The youth received a discretionary life sentence with a minimum of ten years after admitting to preparing acts of terror. 

Met Commander Dominic Murphy said: ‘I genuinely believe this was an imminent terrorist attack.’

Islamist terrorism accounts for about two thirds of attacks since 2018. It accounts for nearly two-third of convicted terrorists and takes up approximately three quarters of counter-terrorism resources.

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