Terror attack on Britain foiled 'in its final hours'

GCHQ worked through 1,600 telephone numbers, email addresses and other leads in the days after the Paris attacks, report says

GCHQ in Cheltenham (Getty)

An alleged terrorist plot was foiled “in the final hours before the planned attack” on a target in the UK last year, a report has said.

An operation run by GCHQ, the British intelligence and security organisation, used interception warrants to monitor phones owned by individuals linked to the plot, according to the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation.

Their agents' analyses resulted in the identification of a cell that was close to carrying out their plan, it added.

The report provides several case studies of how anti-terror laws have been used, including how GCHQ "monitor[ed] the activity of a senior al-Qaeda leader and his network in a Middle Eastern country".

GCHQ also provided support to both MI5 and European partners and helped to follow up 1,600 international leads, in the form of telephone numbers, email addresses and other identifiers, in the days following the Paris attacks, according to the report.

Powers enabling the mass interception of communications were also used to help a ground operations in Afghanistan.

“The use of intelligence gained through bulk interception as a basis for urgent action was illustrated starkly in the case of a kidnapping in Afghanistan," the report said.

“Bulk interception of communications data led to hostages being located within 72 hours of their abduction."

The review has been well received by Prime Minister Theresa May.

“Mr Anderson’s report demonstrates how the bulk powers contained in the Investigatory Powers Bill are of crucial importance to our security and intelligence agencies," she told the Daily Mirror.