I don't think anyone could criticise the British security services in the their battle against terrorism. A government report said yesterday a suicide attack at a pop concert in Manchester that killed 22 people in May might have been prevented if the security services had responded differently to intelligence in the months before the attack. But it must be remembered that security officers receive hundreds if not thousands of reports of possible terror attacks every year and there is a limit to their resources.
Britain is facing an unprecedented wave of terror activity probably not seen since the 1970s and early 1980s during the IRA wave of attacks on the mainland. Many terror outrages have been thwarted but security officers can't keep watch on every suspect that comes up on their radar. It is almost an impossible task. The British security services are among the best in the world and supported by elements such as GCHQ, the government "listening centre" and its outposts across the world, they have managed to keep Britain relatively safe.
It is easy to blame the security services for an incident but it is more difficult to praise them for their fantastic work; such is the nature of the beast. Above all the government should ensure that the security services are properly funded and have all the necessary resources. They do deserve everything they need because they are helping to keep Britain safe. Praise is what they should receive not blame.