Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed

An eye-opening account of the British terror attacks you’ve never heard of—because the perpetrators were caught in time. Since 2017, the UK has seen fifteen terrible terrorist attacks. But the atrocities on our evening news are the tip of a vast iceberg. Security services are striving to contain a staggering 3,000 jihadists, far-right extremists and other potential threats. We are in a new age of terror, with self-radicalising, hard-to-categorise individuals planning violence—but each one caught by the British state tells us something about British society. For every successful plot in the six years since Westminster Bridge, more than twice as many have been foiled. Some were thwarted by nerve-wracking undercover operations; others were narrowly averted by heroic citizens, or ruined by the absurd mistakes of would-be attackers. Invariably, the all-too-human stories of these failed terrorists reveal the true picture of UK extremism. Through interviews with senior counter-terror figures and astonishing court testimony, Plotters unpacks how and why British terror attacks happen—and don’t. From dating websites and prison cells to Telegram networks and Tesco knives, Lizzie Dearden’s deep dive offers one disturbing certainty: the plotters will keep coming. To confront them, we need to understand them.

About the Author :
Lizzie Dearden is 'The Independent's' Home Affairs Editor. She has been covering terror attacks, prosecutions and extremism of all kinds in the UK, in depth, since 2017. Lizzie is also a long-term observer of global terrorism trends; she previously reported on Isis-inspired attacks in Europe and elsewhere.

Review :
''Plotters' gives a useful overview of the demographic and ideological composition of the current terrorist threat... This is, of course, a serious book, but it is also darkly funny.' '['Plotters'] unravels the story behind the terrifying--and sometimes Four Lions-style comically bizarre--British terror attacks that have fortunately failed since 2017. Dearden... offers a disturbing, powerful account of the changing profile of the terrorist.' 'A meticulously researched and extremely readable deep dive into the motivations and methods of our growing population of thwarted violent extremists.' 'A deeply fascinating, highly informative and entertaining account of an overlooked subject. This brilliant book offers unique insights into the stories of would-be terrorists and foiled plots that could have changed the course of Britain's recent history.' 'A gripping, vivid and important book. By expertly analysing foiled and failed terrorist plots, Dearden presents highly original insight into the complex phenomenon of modern terrorism.' 'Terrorists try to present themselves as ruthless and calculating; "Plotters" shows that most of them are sad, lonely and inept. Yet these stories also reveal the enormous challenges facing the security services trying to keep us safe. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about terrorism, beyond the headlines.' 'The terrorist threat to Britain is mutating, and we need to adapt. This gripping and informative book explains why.' 'Dearden paints a disturbing portrait of today's terrorists, but even more chilling is her account of the near-misses, where only good intelligence and smart policing has saved us from further tragedies.' 'Excellent reporting and analysis that puts the threat of terrorism in perspective by revealing its often hidden dimension: the many plots that fail on their own, or are foiled by the authorities.' 'An alarming portrait of the terror threat the UK faces in all its confusing complexity.' 'A compelling deep dive into UK terrorism and counterterrorism.'