SCHOOLS, prisons and councils across the UK are to be required by law to put in place measures to stop would-be extremists from being drawn into terrorism, Home Secret­ary Theresa May has announced.

She warned the threat from jihadists and other fanatics was "greater than it has ever been".

A legal duty will be placed on organisations such as colleges, universities, the police and probation providers to help deter radicalisation and, where organisations fail, UK Government ministers will be able to issue legally-enforced directions to them.

The move is part of a sweeping package of changes in the Counter-Terrorism And Security Bill designed to tighten up protections across the UK. It will be introduced at Westminster tomorrow.

"We are engaged in a struggle that is fought on many fronts and in many forms," said Mrs May. "It is a struggle that will go on for many years. The threat we face right now is perhaps greater than it ever has been; we must have the powers we need to defend ourselves."

But human rights campaigners labelled the plans "another chilling recipe for injustice".

In a speech in London, Mrs May underlined the scale of counter-terrorism work, saying 40 terror plots had been foiled since the attacks in London on July 7, 2005.

Mrs May said examples of measures organisations could be required to put in place were policies covering extremist speaker in universities.

"The organisations subject to the duty will have to take into account guidance issued by the Home Secretary. Where organisations consistently fail, ministers will be able to issue directions to them, which will be enforceable by court order," she explained.

The legislation will include measures to ban insurance firms from footing the bill for terrorist ransoms, as well as previously announced plans to prevent suspected foreign fighters from returning to the UK for a period of time.

Terrorism Prevention and Investigations Measures, will also be strengthened to re-introduce powers in Labour's control orders to relocate terror suspects around the country.

Over the weekend it emerged police were to be handed powers in the Bill to force internet firms to hand over details that could help identify suspected terrorists and paedophiles. The Counter-Terrorism Bill will also oblige internet service providers to retain information linking Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to individual users.

"This legislation is important," said Mrs May. "It is not a knee-jerk response to a sudden perceived threat. It is a properly-considered, thought-through set of proposals that will help to keep us safe at a time of very significant danger," she said.

Ed Miliband said Labour would scrutinise carefully the Government's proposals but stressed his party wanted to work with it to ensure the security services and police had the necessary powers.

However, Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said: "Yet again politicians resort to high talk and rushed legislation in an attempt to look tough in the face of terrorism.

"So youngsters will have their passports seized at borders and others will be prevented coming home. Even our universities must read from ministers' scripts on radicalisation. Another chilling recipe for injustice and resentment by closing down the open society you seek to promote."

Across the UK this week, police will be briefing more than 6000 people at 80 venues in an attempt to engage the public and businesses in preventing attacks.