British MPS seek end to early release
TERROR CRIMES
LONDON • More than a dozen jihadi terrorists are due to be freed early from prison in Britain within months as ministers worked Monday to introduce emergency legislation to keep them behind bars.
The government promised new laws in the wake of Sunday’s knife attack in London by Sudesh Amman, a convicted terrorist who had just been released halfway through his sentence. It was the second attack in London by a freed prisoner in just over two months.
Those set for early release include Jamshed Javeed, jailed for six years for trying to join ISIL in Syria, and Moinul Abedin, described as Britain’s first al-qaida-inspired terrorist after being convicted of making detonators at his home in Birmingham, about 200 kilometres northwest of London.
The analysis by the thinktank Henry Jackson Society also identifies Mohammed Ghani as due for imminent release. He was jailed for terror offences after threatening to kill police officers.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told MPS Monday that the “appalling incident made the case for immediate action” and announced the ending of automatic release of terrorists who had served half their sentences.
Instead, terrorists would serve a minimum two-thirds of their sentence before being considered for release and none would be let out before the end of a full custodial sentence without the agreement of the Parole Board.
The attempt to retrospectively force terrorist prisoners to spend longer in jail will be fiercely contested and lawyers expected any legal change to be overturned in the courts.
Geoffrey Robertson QC (Queen’s Counsel) described it as “panic legislation,” while Dominic Grieve QC, the former attorney general and former chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, said: “It is rather problematic.”
The emergency legislation was condemned by the Law Society, which said releasing prisoners at the end of a sentence with no supervision might pose a greater risk than those freed halfway but subject to conditions and supervision in bail hostels.
Dr. Paul Stott, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, welcomed the emergency legislation, saying the imminent release of so many jihadists was “deeply concerning.” Authorities were powerless to prevent Amman’s release from Belmarsh prison on Jan. 23, one week before he rampaged down Streatham High Road, stabbing two people before being shot dead by armed officers who were keeping him under surveillance.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson signalled his desire to change the law, insisting automatic early release of terrorists “who obviously continue to pose a threat to the public has come to the end of its useful life.”