§ Mr AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department was informed that the Government of Singapore had made a statement on responsibility for the attempted attack on the British High Commission in that country in December 2001; what assessment his Department made of that statement; what consequent threat assessment his Department has made; what action was taken and on what date; and if he will make a statement. [78326]
§ Mr. StrawThe Government of Singapore informed us in mid-December 2001 of a possible threat to our High Commission in Singapore. The High Commission raised its level of security. The Government of Singapore subsequently announced on 6 January 2002 the detention of thirteen people during December 2001 in connection with plans to mount terrorist attacks against a range of targets in that country.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 178, prior to 11 September 2001, and especially afterwards, we identified 927W South East Asia as an area with a real and present threat from groups linked to al-Qaeda. The FCO's travel advice to the region takes account of this threat.
On 28 October 2002 my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary laid before this House the Statutory Instrument for the proscription of Jemaah Islamiyah in the UK. This issue was debated by both Houses of Parliament on 30 October 2002 and the Order will now come into force on 1 November 2002.