Small boats could be a backdoor into Britain for terrorists, spooks believe

SMALL boats could be a back door into Britain for terrorists, the UK’s security sources believe.

The Channel crisis could provide an opportunity for individual killers to exploit our weak borders, they add.

More than 13,000 people have already arrived since January on small boats.

Nineteen suspected terrorists are known to have crossed.

The foreign nationals were linked with groups including IS.

Most have since lodged asylum claims and cannot be deported.

Seven were under “active investigation” in other countries when they arrived, the Daily Mail reported.

Five of the known terror suspects to reach the UK last year are Iraqi, five are Iranian, four are Afghans, four Somalian and one a Libyan.

The British security services are said to have established suspects’ identities through the routine fingerprinting of Channel arrivals.

The Bibby Stockholm barge - which will hold 500 migrants - arrived on Tuesday in Portland.

It will start taking its first passengers within the next fortnight.

But furious locals gathered to protest - and said they feared for the arrival of "bored single men" who would have nothing to do.