Terrorist threat 'sparks SAS review'

The special forces are up against a new type of terrorism

The UK's special forces could be restructured and expanded to bolster the complex fight against international terrorism, it is reported.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is to announce a review of the structure and combat strategies of armed forces such as the SAS when he addresses the Labour party conference on Tuesday, the Guardian said.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is expected to assess whether Britain has a sufficient number of special forces, and the relevant hardware, to fight the new type of terrorism.

The plans will come on the day that Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to signal the start of an all-out war on the Taleban.

Targeting terrorism

The MoD review will look at the nature of the potential terrorist threat, including methods of attacking quasi-state terror groups and the configuration of rapid reaction forces.

International armies are facing increasingly elusive terrorist forces that must be pinpointed with accurate intelligence rather than mass target bombing.

RAF Tornados are joining the operation in the Gulf

The Guardian quotes a defence official as saying: "We never envisaged there would be so many terrorists willing to lose their lives, attack a major civilian target and operate in such a co-ordinated way.

"A very small cell of people can have a massive disproportionate effect".

Last week the MoD confirmed that a Royal Navy fleet of 13 ships, including the nuclear submarine HMS Superb, was in the Middle East to start official military exercises.

There has been widespread speculation that these forces will be the first to be redirected to Afghanistan.