Britain is home to more Islamist fanatics than any other European country, top official warns

Britain is home to 35,000 Islamist fanatics, more than any other country in Europe, the EU anti-terror chief has warned.

Gilles de Kerchove warned that of those 35,000, 3,000 were ‘worrying’ for MI5.

Speaking to Spain’s El Mundo newspaper, Kerchove also warned that the so-called Islamic State will attempt a cyber attack on nuclear power stations or air traffic control systems within the next five years, potentially by paying Russian hackers to break into computer systems.

He said it was vital that European intelligence agencies and police adequately analyse and share the data they collect.

Kerchove told El Mundo: “The United Kingdom has identified 20,000 to 35,000 radicals.

“Of these, 3,000 are worrying for MI5, and of those 500 are under constant and special attention.

“France has 17,000. Spain many less, but more than 5,000 I suppose. In Belgium almost 500 have been to Syria and there are around 2,000 radicals or more.

“I wouldn't like to put a concrete figure on it, but (in Europe) tens of thousands, more than 50,000.

“We must select those who are really worrying and the most dangerous, and they should be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”