Terrorism, cyber attacks biggest threats to UK: minister

In the UK terrorism and cyber attacks are expected to be named as among the biggest threats to UK security which will be described in the National Security Strategy.

The National Security Council, was set up by David Cameron in May and will form the background  for the Strategic Defence Review, to be held on Tuesday to set out the shape of the UK's forces after budget cuts put at 8 per cent.

This follows months of study and debate with the NSC producing a paper identifying 16 threats to the UK.

The most serious, dubbed "Tier 1", comprises acts of international terrorism, hostile computer attacks on UK cyberspace, major accidents or natural hazards including a flu pandemic, or an international military crisis between states that involves the UK and its allies.

According to home secretary Theresa May, who spoke ahead of the launch of the strategy in the House of Commons, the threat from international terrorism was "very serious".

She added though that the strategy would reveal more "diverse sources of threat", as the government responds to a changing world.