Armed cops drafted in over fears of an ISIS terror attack on UK-bound cruiseliner
Extra security after intelligence warnings that jihadists may look to board ferries and execute passengers
ARMED troops are being stationed at Calais amid fears ISIS jihadists could board UK-bound ferries and execute passengers.
Heavily armed troops and police officers are being sent to French ports to prevent attacks on British bound ships.
A senior UK security course told :: "The presence of the police and soldiers near Calais is very alarming – there’s nothing routine about it.
"Apparently they are at a high state of alert because there is a fear of jihadists getting on to a ferry headed for Britain and executing people on the ship.
"It is also possible that ISIS may have been told security has in the past been reasonably lax so they believe they can get terrorists into Britain via a ferry."
British special forces from the Special Boat Service are being trained to board a hijacked ship using high-speed assault boats and helicopters in the event of such an attack.
Security staff on both sides of the Channel are heavily vetted.
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A counter-terror source said: “What we’ve learned from the attacks across Europe is that prevention is paramount.
"Once an attack is underway, the terrorists have already got what they wanted
"Thus far MI5 and the police counter-terror command have managed to prevent scores and scores of attacks, ranging from relatively low-key lone wolf killings to serious spectaculars involving planes.
"Everything that can be done is being done to speed up the process in which the military and police can bring an incident to an end, but it can never be quick enough as people will be getting killed.
"An attack at sea on a ferry is something twisted terrorists want to do because they know the rescue would be slower than on dry land.”
"Thus far MI5 and the police counter-terror command have managed to prevent scores and scores of attacks, ranging from relatively low-key lone wolf killings to serious spectaculars involving planes," the source continued .
"Everything that can be done is being done to speed up the process in which the military and police can bring an incident to an end, but it can never be quick enough as people will be getting killed.
"An attack at sea on a ferry is something twisted terrorists want to do because they know the rescue would be slower than on dry land."
EU and British intelligence agencies are desperate to predict where terrorists may strike next after a spate of 'lone wolf' attacks across Europe in recent weeks.
Earlier this week an ISIS attacker slit the throat of 86-year-old French priest Father Jacques Hamel in a Normandy church.
The atrocity came after 84 died in the July 14 Bastille Day attack in which a lorry was driven through celebrating crowds.
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