Let’s plug the lethal loopholes

MI5 will escape any criticism for the latest terrorist atrocity.

In past attacks the spooks have copped the blame for having terror suspects on their radar but failing to keep them in their sights.

Usman Khan does not fall into that category. He was already a convicted terrorist, having served eight years in prison. MI5 did their job by helping to put him there.

Khan was electronically tagged so the authorities ought to have known where he was. MI5 surveillance was unnecessary.

Yet he was still able to knife two innocent people to death and wound three others.

Khan throws up so many questions about public safety only the investigation Jeremy Corbyn demands can answer them.

Was his prison supervision sufficient? Or are our jails so overcrowded and understaffed supervision is impossible? Was he monitored properly on release? And if not, why not?

Khan applied for a deradicalisation programme. If he went on it, why did it not work? And if he didn’t, why not?

Is the system for handling terrorists who have served their time sufficient to ensure they are no longer a danger? The answer to that is clearly “No”.

It was brave passers-by who contained him. We salute them. It was armed police who ended the risk he posed. We thank them.

Boris Johnson says he would ban early release. Too knee-jerk. Too easy. Yes, it would have prevented Friday’s horror but probably only by postponing it.

MI5 is constantly evaluating threats from individuals. But its resources stretch to keeping tabs on only 3,000 of them. When a new suspect goes on this list, one drops off. There are 20,000 of these dropouts.

Which means at least 23,000 people in this country who may be a clear and present danger. At its height the IRA numbered 800 and look at the damage they did.

Khan has shown loopholes in counter-terror strategy which must be plugged urgently.

The PM’s simplistic solution is not enough. Only a comprehensive review will do.