UK Intelligence Thwarts Seven Attacks in Past Year, Downing Street says

The British government says that intelligence services in the country have foiled several terrorist plots aimed at the U.K. over the past year.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today program, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said, "We have been aware..of these cells operating in Syria that are radicalizing people in our own country, potentially sending people back to carry out attacks. Our security, and intelligence services have stopped something like seven attacks in the last six months, albeit attacks planned on a smaller scale."

Government representatives later moved to clarify that the alleged attacks were over a period of 12 months.

Cameron also sent a cautionary message to those inside the U.K. who feel that the country is less likely to be a target of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) because, unlike France, the U.K. is not currently engaged in airstrikes over Syria.

"We should be clear that those attacks in Paris..could have happened in Belgium, could have happened in Denmark, could have happened in Sweden, it could happen here," Cameron said. "We will do everything we can to defeat these people who are trying to destroy our way of life."