'Dirty bomb' threat is up, Smith warns

London: The risk of terrorists obtaining the material to mount a "dirty bomb" attack in Britain is rising, the government has claimed.

In a report to Parliament on the current state of the terrorist threat, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed an increasing amount of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material has become available around the world and that it could fall into the hands of extremists living in Britain.

It says that some of these substances are being sold via the internet and warns that the growing supply, coupled with an existing "demand" among militants, means that new measures are needed to protect the public.

The's report says that British extremists have sought "dirty bomb" material and suggests that they are more likely to succeed because substances are being trafficked more than ever around the world.

It also reveals increasing concern in Whitehall that sports stadiums, shopping centres, night clubs and cinemas could all be targeted in a "crowded places" attack.

There is also a claim that a potentially growing threat is posed by "self-starting" terror groups only loosely linked to Al Qaida.

The 160-page report, called Contest Two, updates a counter terrorist strategy first published in 2003.

Other sections describe the current causes of radicalisation in Britain, such as the Palestinian conflict and a lack of integration among some Muslims, as well as the 20-year-old roots of extremism in this country.

It says a number of factors are driving radicalisation, including discrimination, social and political grievances, recent migration and a lack of integration into local communities.

It also sets out the principles that ministers and officials will follow in seeking to tackle such alienation and says that among them will be the promotion of "shared values" and respect for the human rights of all members of British society.