EVIL ON OUR STREETS
As second victim is named, experts ask why terrorist Khan was freed to murder innocents
AS the second victim of Friday’s knife attack was named as 23-year-old Saskia Jones, Boris Johnson admitted that scores of convicted terrorists are roaming our streets. The Prime Minister confirmed that 74 are currently out of prison on licence, as London Bridge killer Usman Khan was, and experts warned they are “potentially threatening innocent lives”.
Their cases, along with those of more than 500 former prisoners convicted of terror offences and freed since the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001, are now being urgently reviewed.
Separately, MI5 is already pursuing an all-time record of 700 “live investigations” into terror attacks, with at least 80% of those targeting al-Qaeda and Islamic State-inspired fanatics. It comes amid a row over whether Khan should have been freed midsentence, and security chiefs warned of copycat attacks.
Khan stabbed to death former Cambridge University students Saskia, and Jack Merritt, 25, on Friday. Three others were injured. Two are in a stable condition.
Khan, 28, was jailed in 2012 for a plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange. He was initially given an indeterminate sentence but, a year later, three appeal judges downgraded it to a 16-year fixed term.
This allowed him to be automatically released, without a Parole Board hearing, with an electronic tag, after eight years. Asked on The Andrew Marr Show how many other terrorists have been let out in a similar manner, Mr Johnson said: “There are probably about 74.”
He claimed they are “being properly invigilated to make sure there is no threat”. And then he blamed Labour for the automatic early release system. He said of Khan: “It is repulsive that individuals as dangerous as this man should be allowed out after serving only eight years, and that’s why we are going to change the law.”
“It is legitimate to ask ourselves how could he be out so early? The answer is that he was out because he was on automatic early release.
“When the judges reviewed his sentence in 2012, they had no option but to comply with the law that Labour brought in in 2008.”
But Marr hit back at Mr Johnson, saying: “You say Labour – your party has been in power for 10 years.” The PM insisted: “I’ve been in office for 120 days.”
Mr Marr pointed out that the Tories had “nothing in your manifesto” about changing the law.
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Chuka Umunna criticised Labour and the Tories for “seeking to use a terrorist incident as a political football”.
Last night, Jack Merritt’s father, David, blamed swingeing cuts to probation services. He said: “The problem is with the lack of supervision and rehabilitation postrelease, not too-short sentences. Services have been cut to the bone and we are all less safe as a result.”
The prisons’ budget was cut by 20% from 2010/11 to 2014/15. Police and probation services have also been slashed. Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn said yesterday: “You can’t keep people safe on the cheap.”
Last night, Col Richard Kemp, ex-security adviser to the government on counter-terrorism, told the Mirror: “It is shocking there are 74 such terrorists out there, all potentially threatening the lives of innocents.
“Questions also need to be asked about how this was allowed to happen at a time when this country has been facing an unprecedented level of Islamic terrorist threats.”
Sources say there is a possibility of a terror “threat towards polling stations” during the upcoming general election on December 12.
Saskia, a former Cambridge student, was volunteering at the Cambridge University Learning Together prison rehabilitation programme at Fishmongers’ Hall.
Saskia, from Stratford-upon-Avon, had recently applied to join the police force and hoped to specialise in victim support. Her family said she “always wanted to see the best in people”, adding: “Saskia was a funny, kind, positive influence.
“She was intent on living life to the full and had a wonderful thirst for knowledge.”
Jack, from Cambridge, was a Learning Together course co-ordinator. David described his son as a “beautiful spirit”.
The family said: “Jack died doing what he loved. Jack believed in redemption and rehabilitation, not revenge. Jack was looking forward to building a future with his girlfriend, Leanne, and making a career helping people in the criminal justice system.” Khan was released from jail last year on condition that he obey 20 conditions, including not going to London.
But probation bosses granted him an exemption to go to Learning Together’s conference, as they believed he had reformed. That decision, and the handling of Khan’s case is now subject to a Ministry of Justice Serious Further Offence Review.
Harry Fletcher, ex-head of NAPO, the probation officers’ union, said Khan was being seen by the probation service twice a week. He added: “This time it was decided he was okay to go alone. He was deemed low risk and appears to have completely manipulated the system.” Last night, defence and security expert Bruce Jones told the Mirror officers will be on the lookout for follow-up attacks. He said: “There will be increased [police] activity in the run-up to Christmas. We are facing potential copycat and retaliatory lone-wolf attacks. Lone-wolf attacks require almost no preparation.
“Potential attackers will seek target enriched environments, where people feel relaxed, including sports, entertainment and leisure venues.”
A vigil will also be held at Guildhall Yard in Central London at 11am today for the victims, as well as members of the public and emergency services who risked their lives to save others.
■ Additional reporting by Louie Smith and Chris Hughes.
There could be copycat & lone wolf attacks in the run-up to Xmas BRUCE JONES SECURITY EXPERT ON POLICE FEARS