Police have foiled several potentially deadly attacks and arrested hundreds of suspected terrorists so far this year, Britain's counter-terrorism chief has claimed.
Mark Rowley - the UK's National Policing Lead for Counter Terrorism - said officers were dealing with "exceptionally high" numbers of investigations and had been contacted by "dozens" of families concerned that loved ones may be planning to join jihadists in Syria or Iraq.
Amid widespread fears over the influence of Islamic State terrorists, he revealed police have been taking down more than 1,000 pieces of extremist material from the internet each week, including videos of beheadings, torture and suicides.
It comes as the Foreign Secretary said British fighters returning from Syria or Iraq could be tried for treason.
Britons travelling to the Middle East had "sworn personal allegiance" to Islamic State (IS) and could potentially have committed treason, Mr Hammond told MPs on Thursday.
"There are a number of offences under English law with which returning foreign fighters can be charged," Mr Hammond said.
"We have had a discussion about the allegiance question. We've seen situations of people declaring that they have sworn personal allegiance to the so-called Islamic State and that does raise questions about their loyalty and allegiance to this country."
Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Rowley said: "So far this year we have made 218 arrests and are running exceptionally high numbers of counter-terrorism investigations, the likes of which we have not seen for several years.
"Against an increasing operational tempo we are disrupting several attack plots a year.
"These plots are of varied sophistication, from individuals planning to carry out spontaneous yet deadly attacks to more complex conspiracies, almost all seemingly are either directed by or inspired by terrorism overseas."
Asst Comm Rowley said 16 people had been charged with terrorist offences after returning to the UK from Syria.
He added: "The volume, range and pace of counter-terrorism activity has undergone a step-change.
"Public safety is our number one priority and we will always focus our disruption activity against those posing the greatest and most imminent threat.
"Sometimes this means intervening very early - essential to prevent attacks, but presenting enormous challenges in securing sufficient evidence to charge."
He added that more than 80% of the material removed from the internet was related to Iraq and Syria, where the success of Islamic State has prompted fears the group's influence may be growing abroad.
Asst Comm Rowley said 66 people who have been reported missing to police are feared to have travelled to Syria.
"The growing problem of young, impressionable, and in some cases vulnerable individuals being radicalised online is an increasing risk," he said.
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Gallery: The Battle for Kobani Continues
Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Kobani. American-led forces conducted 21 airstrikes near the border town in the last two days to slow the advance of Islamic State militants, the US military said
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The US warned the situation on the ground is fluid as militants try to gain territory
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A US-led coalition aircraft flying over Kobani
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Smoke rises from a village on the outskirts of Kobani
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Unidentified armed men run in Kobani
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Photographers and journalists watch Kobani from a hill
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Kurdish refugees from Kobani stand in an abandoned village near the Turkish-Syrian border
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A black flag belonging to the Islamic State is seen in Kobani. The airstrikes appear to have done little to blunt the group's onslaught on the town
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Unidentified people gather in Kobani
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A Turkish Kurd watches Kobani near the border crossing in Turkey. Continue through for more images
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Cundi Minaz, one of four female Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Unit (YPG) who were killed during clashes with Islamic State fighters in Kobani, is buried in a cemetery in the southeastern town of Suruc
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People attend the funeral of Cundi Minaz
"Extremist groups are using social media in highly sophisticated ways in order to recruit or persuade individuals towards their violent and warped ideologies.
"Dozens of families have contacted us concerned about loved ones or information when they believe someone is travelling abroad.
"It is only through courageous action like that that we can help and we have been supporting such families in every way we can."
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