Poster girl for terror
Convicted jihadi got job at council even though she told them about her criminal past
A JIHADI jailed for helping the July 21 bombers was given a council job despite having confessed to her criminal record.
Mulumebet Girma, 33, took a post at Southwark Council after blundering bosses missed a box she ticked that drew attention to her past.
The Ethiopian-born former model went on to become the housing department’s poster girl, featuring on the cover of an in-house magazine.
It was only when her role helping terrorist Hussain Osman flee the aftermath of the failed 2005 attacks was exposed that she was sacked. Last night, the south London council said a ‘robust review’ was under way to make sure the blunder would never be repeated.
But questions remain over how Girma remained in Britain after officials pledged to ensure that she and other foreign-born terrorists were thrown out of the UK.
It appears she successfully fought deportation – most likely on the grounds that returning to her homeland would breach of her human rights.
Girma, daughter of a Catholic diplomat, moved to London as a girl. In 2005, she was arrested by counter-terror police investigating a botched plot to kill Tube passengers two weeks after the July 7 attack that murdered 52.
Three years later, she was jailed for ten years for helping her brother-in-law Osman flee London, dressing his wounds and destroying evidence.
Police were watching an address linked to Osman when they followed and shot dead innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes.
Her sentence was reduced to five years on appeal and she was released in 2013. Within months, she applied for a job with Southwark Council, filling out a detailed application form for a job in the housing department.
When she ticked a box to confirm she had a criminal conviction, it should have raised a red flag. But no inquiries into her background were carried out and she did
‘Procedure was not followed’
not reveal she had been jailed under the Terrorism Act. She started as a trainee customer services assistant, and was promoted to ‘systems and performance analyst’ without further checks, even appearing on the cover of a council magazine. Asked whether she disclosed her conviction, a council spokesman said: ‘Yes, on her initial application, but not in subsequent internal applications.
‘ If a criminal record is declared by an applicant, details should be established, and the final decision about recruitment should be taken by the strategic director.
‘Regrettably, procedure was not followed. We are investigating what happened.’
Girma was sacked last month after the council was alerted to her terrorist past. Last night, there was no sign of Girma at her £186,000 flat in Dartford, Kent.
July 21 bomber Osman was jailed for a minimum of 40 years in July 2007 along with Muktar Said Ibrahim, Yassin Omar and Ramzi Mohammed. A fifth man, Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, was later jailed for 33 years for conspiracy to cause explosions.
Girma’s sister Yeshi, of Stockwell, south London, brother Esayas and her boyfriend were also convicted of aiding Osman.
In 2011, a list of foreign-born terrorists in Britain was published, including Girma, her brother Esayas and sister Yeshiemebet as well as Siraj Ali, Omar’s foster brother.
The Government said: ‘Any foreign criminal convicted of a serious terrorism-related offence should be removed at the earliest opportunity.’