The Home Office has provided extra support to Wycombe district following the rise of terrorist activity and extremism in the area.

As terrorism prevention becomes one of the country’s top priorities, police are also urging residents and businesses to remain vigilant.

This latest appeal from South East Counter Terrorism Unit (SECTU) officers and Thames Valley Police comes after 19-year-old Yousaf Syed, from Wycombe, was charged with terror offences last week.

Historically Wycombe has been linked to terrorist plots, such as the “liquid bomb plot” in which conspirators planned to blow up seven transatlantic passenger jets.

Detective Chief Inspector Dennis Evernden from SECTU said the threat has changed with “violent extremists now often born and bred in the UK”.

In August, ISIS fighter and former Cressex School pupil, Omar Hussain, appeared on Newsnight laughing about beheading enemies.

Two months later counter terrorism officers visited the Royal Grammar School following suspicions that former pupil, Shabazz Suleman, had left the UK to join ISIS.

Wycombe District Council’s Prevent team is tasked with stopping people from becoming involved in terrorist activity.

Recently, there has been a move to shift Prevent activity away from being mainly police-led to being more community based.

Prevent is a safeguarding programme and works predominantly before someone has committed a crime.

Catherine Spalton, spokesman for Wycombe District Council, said: “Prevent tries to support those who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and this often, but not always, involves young people.

“Those who are susceptible to becoming involved in crime such as joining gangs or substance abuse often have vulnerabilities which can be mirrored in those that become involved in violent extremism. Sometimes they are looking for answers or a sense of identity.”

She added: “Wycombe district, just like other areas where extremists have operated, has been provided with extra support from the Home Office.

“Prevent operates against all strands of extremism including Islamic extremism, but also others such as Far Right Extremism (FRE).

“It operates a programme called Channel, a multi-agency panel which offers support to those who may have become exposed to extremism.

“This programme has been very successful and there is a Channel panel which operates across the whole of Buckinghamshire.

“Nationally 25 per cent of those who have been referred to Channel have been subject to Far Right Extremism.”

While modern technology has been partly attributed to the spread of extremism, officials believe that very few people are radicalised by the internet alone.

Ms Spalton said: “The internet and social media are big factors in the radicalisation of some people, who then go on to interact with radical organisations.

“Very few people are radicalised solely by the internet or social media and most go on to seek individual contact with those that seek to radicalise vulnerable people.”

This week a bill was presented in Parliament which will make Prevent and Channel a statutory requirement for all local authorities.

Specially targeted events were held this week and SECTU were hoping to engage people on social media and there was an increase in patrols.

Officers from across the region are asking people to get in touch if they know anything or suspect something.

Anyone who suspects anything should call 101 or the Anti-Terrorism Hotline on 0800 789 321.