MI5 has launched a new website offering businesses advice on protecting themselves against security threats.

The information has been compiled by the security service's National Security Advice Centre, which works to protect government assets and companies vital to the country's infrastructure such as water, transport and power.

Although the advice has been written with companies in mind, it is available to anyone who browses the site.

"Protecting the public is our number one priority in government and the security service is at the forefront of our defence against attacks of the kind we have seen across the world in recent years," said home secretary David Blunkett.

"Our security service is the best in the world and is uniquely placed to provide authoritative advice on the nature of threats facing the United Kingdom.  Through the MI5 website, all businesses and organisations will have the benefit of their expertise and can use to to make themselves safer."

He added that the risk from terrorism ~"is very real and we have a duty to ensure that individuals and businesses are armed with the information that allows them to take sensible and proportionate steps to protect themselves from new and emerging threats". 

"That is why I have undertaken to put as much information into the public domain as possible, for example through our own terrorism website.  The information we make available to the public is constantly reviewed to ensure that it provides a realistic assessment without causing undue alarm," Blunkett explained.

In addition to advice, the new website contains a section entitled "How you can help", which allows users to contact the security service through a secure page.

This, along with a page offering information on the work of MI5, has been translated into Arabic in a bid to build cooperation with the Muslim community.

"We rely heavily on public assistance and support to do our work effectively and by working together I believe we are up to the challenge of responding to today's security threats," said Eliza Manningham-Buller, director general of the security service.

"I would encourage people to use our website to pass on any information that might be relevant to our work."