Anti-terror programme failed to thwart bomber

IRAQI asylum seeker Ahmed Hassan has been convicted of attempted murder over the bombing of a train at Parsons Green Tube station. Hassan, 18, who came to Britain illegally in 2015 and was in foster care, was known to the authorities having told Home Office officials that he was “trained to kill”. He was accordingly enrolled in the Government’s failing de-radicalising Prevent programme.

It clearly didn’t work for him. And it is apparent that Prevent as a whole is not working. Figures show that 7,631 people – many of them children or vulnerable adults – were referred to the programme in 2015-2016 but only 381 received specialist support. Referrals are usually made by schools, colleges and the police. Two-thirds were referred because of concerns about Islamic terrorism while about a tenth were referred because of concerns about Right-wing terrorism.

Part of the problem with Prevent is that it is often accused of fuelling racial and religious discrimination and of stigmatising those who are targeted by the programme even though no action may be taken as a result.

The authorities must show the courage of their convictions. Identifying those who may commit acts of terror isn’t enough if steps are not taken.

Following the verdict Commander Dean Haydon, head of Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command, said that a review into the Prevent programme in Surrey was taking place. He added: “I describe Hassan as an intelligent and articulate individual that is devious and cunning in equal measures. On the one hand he was appearing to engage with the programme but he kept secret what he was planning and plotting. We describe him as a lone actor.”

A devious teenager shouldn’t be able to derail a Government programme with such ease. Either make Prevent work or scrap it altogether.