UK Terrorism-related arrests rose by 40% in 2014 says report

Bloomberg have reported, terrorism related arrests in the United Kingdom increased by 40 percent in 2014, following a surge in numbers of British nationals travelling to Syria and Iraq to join Islamic State (IS)

According to data provided by the UK Metropolitan Police and Home Office, local authorities had arrested 312 people for terrorist-related offences as of December 16, compared to a total of 222 in 2013, the news outlet reported.

The police added that they had arrested 35 percent more people than three years ago because of the large number of UK citizens put under investigation after returning from Syria and Iraq.

In late November, UK authorities said some 500 Britons had travelled to Syria to fight for IS. But a UK Muslim member of parliament said the number of those travelling to both Syria and Iraq was closer to 2,000. Following fear that these fighters intended to return to their home country and launch attacks, the UK government raised the country's terror threat level to severe.

According to Bloomberg, police in London have also contacted 39 families to alert them about family members suspected of planning to travel to Syria to join IS in 2014.

Islamic State began fighting the Syrian government in 2012 amid the country's ongoing civil war. Known for its brutal tactics, the extremist militant group later expanded its activities to Iraq and declared a caliphate on the territories it controls in both countries. Over 15,000 foreign fighters from over 80 countries have travelled to the region to join the militant group, according to the United Nations.