'Britain's 'War on Terror' may last as long as Cold War'

London, Feb. 10 (ANI): Britain's "War on Terror" is likely to last as long as the Cold War, Charles Farr, the head of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, has warned.

The Telegraph quoted Farr, as saying that while the names of terror groups threatening the UK were likely to change, the threat itself would continue for decades.

"It is perfectly possible that in ten years we will be looking at something which has replaced al-Qaeda and may even have a different name and certainly have different people in it, but I fear may pose a threat of the same degree," he pointed out during a private evidence sessions with the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee.

He added that al-Qaeda is likely to survive the death of Osama bin Laden and that of his deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri.

"It would be a different organisation but it would still survive because the ideology is still there and...bin Laden himself might then have the status of a martyr as well," he said.

In January, Britain increased its assessment of the threat from 'substantial' to 'severe'. That means officials regard an attack as "highly likely".

It followed the failed Christmas airliner attack over Detroit.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the would-be suicide bomber, was reportedly radicalised in London, where he was a student between 2005 and 2008. (ANI)