Terrorists trying to "invade Facebook"

Home Secretary Theresa May said terrorists are making use of basic consumer tech and "advances in innovation mean our response must improve to keep pace".

"Terrorists are increasingly using online research, including Google Earth and Street View for attack planning," she claimed in a speech.

The marauding attacks in Mumbai in 2008 were directed

"The marauding attacks in Mumbai in 2008 were directed by people using off-the-shelf secure communications innovation to stay in contact with each other," she said, adding systems just as mobile encryption and peer-to-peer networks as well cause challenges for security services.

"Cloud computing offers new means for storing, sharing and distributing material online," she added. "It can be encrypted and configured to work with mobile devices, leaving little or no trace of the data behind."

She said the security services' "own research must constantly evolve and adapt", and said "legislation will be brought forward to put in place the necessary regulations and safeguards to ensure that the response to this technological challenge is both proportionate and appropriate".

However, the report notes that most "radicalisation" happens in person, not over the internet - not least because many countries with a "high incidence of terrorism" are less likely to have widespread internet connectivity.