Head of policing in Dundee Mr McCashey was speaking at an event in the city’s Hilton hotel.

ACT NOW, staged for the first time in Scotland, brought together people from different communities, cultures and faiths to examine the issues around terrorism.

“ACT NOW is just one part of a great deal of work being carried out in Tayside around counter-terrorism,” said Mr McCashey.

at raising awareness of the issues associated with it, promoting the needs for vigilance and involving a range of partners and community members.

“There are four strands of the counter-terrorism work nationally — prevent, pursue, protect and prepare. In Tayside, the ‘prevent’ leg takes priority and includes a wide range of projects.

“I would like to stress there is no current intelligence to suggest Dundee, or any other area of Tayside, is a threat.

“However, the prevention of terrorism is always preferable to the pursuit of terrorists and that is why events such as this are crucial for members of the public to gain an understanding of how police officers operate and also for us to learn what concerns community members might have.

“Police counter-terrorist tactics will only command public confidence if they are, and are seen to be, appropriate, proportionate and fair.

“Community policing has a critical role to play in countering terrorism and reassuring the public.

“I am delighted Tayside Police are the first in Scotland to both take part in and deliver this fantastic initiative.”

ACT NOW thrusts participants into the role of becoming counter-terrorism investigators who are required to work through a fictitious incident.

During the course of the investigation, the participants receive intelligence upon which they will make crucial decisions that affect the lives of citizens.

The investigators are also required to deal with the media, and to speak with communities, looking in particular at reassurance and involvement of key individuals.

Mr McCashey added, “ACT NOW is designed to achieve interaction between people from different communities, cultures and faiths, and puts under the spotlight the procedures and thought processes involved in arriving at decisions.

“The exercise takes place in a safe and confidential environment in which the sensitive issues around terrorism can be discussed.

“The project is designed to be taken out into the heart of our communities, to develop dialogue using community facilitators.

“This will enable people of different ages, faiths and heritage to take part.

“ACT NOW will also be translated into diverse languages to allow those where English is a second language to participate.”