Most successful Security & Counter Terror Expo to date

Accommodating over 10,000 visitors and 71 international delegations, March’s Security & Counter Terror Expo was the most successful iteration of the show to date. Once again encompassing Forensics Europe Expo and Ambition, the event for the emergency preparedness, resilience & response (EPRR) community, the 2018 show also held the first People Movement and Management Show, which complimented the ongoing theme of tracking the terrorist threat across multiple borders. At the forefront of the show’s offering, the World Counter Terror Congress, which was attended by over 700 VIPs, delegates and high-ranking police officers, featured world-renowned speakers such as the Metropolitan Police’s Assistant Commissioner, Mark Rowley; Sir Julian King, European Commissioner for the Security Union and Michael McGarrity, Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Division at the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). As part of his final public appearance before retiring, Rowley delivered a strategic overview of operations under his command, heavily criticising technology companies for their lack of proactivity in working with the police having failed to make a single direct referral to them about terrorist activity on their sites. This year also played host to the inaugural Counter Terror Awards, run by Counter Terror Business magazine and hosted by former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. The awards were staged to recognise the efforts of both public and private sector organisations and their contributions to counter terror strategies in the UK and abroad. Reflecting on the show, David Thompson, event director at UK Security Week, said: “The threat posed by terrorists has never been more diverse from the simplicity of knives and hire vehicles to technologically-advanced cybercriminals. It’s vital that nations, security professionals and the public are fully informed of the most effective methods of protection to mitigate these threats – we specifically tailored this year’s programme to respond to these challenges.” The next edition of Security & Counter Terror Expo will return to London on 5-6 March 2019 for UK Security Week.