Hit team to tackle jail nuts

FELICITY CROSS A TEAM of counterterrorism experts will be launched tomorrow to tackle extremism in prisons.

The 100-strong task force will probe intelligence from prisons and probation services.

It will be looking for any signs of radicalisation.

Westminster attacker Khalid Masood is thought to have converted to Islam while locked up for a knife assault. The team’s staff will advise jails in England and Wales on dealing with specific threats and help train officers on how best to act if they believe an inmate is being lured into extremism.

And the “nerve centre” will lead the management of particularly dangerous and high-profile extremist prisoners.

Prisons minister Sam Gyimah said yesterday: “Extremism is a danger to society and a threat to public safety. “It is right we come together to bolster our response to the threats posed by radicalisation behind bars, and give our hard-working staff the skills and knowledge they need to keep our prisons and communities safe.

“This new team will lead this strand of important work to help combat and defeat terrorist threats posed by offenders in the prison estate and in the community. “By countering the poisonous and repugnant activities of extremists, we will help ensure the safe running of our prisons and keep the public safe.”

Ministers first announced plans to boost the response to radicalisation in reforms unveiled in November.

The Governmentordered review concluded that Islamist extremism is a growing problem within jails. Prison chiefs intend to spend £1million a year on three “jihadi jails” with the first set to open at Durham’s Frankland Prison for up to 50 radicals.