Raab vows to end terrorist ‘no-go areas’ inside jails

TERRORIST inmates will be prevented from creating “no go areas” in prisons to radicalise others and even carry out floggings imposed by sharia courts, the Justice Secretary promised today.

Dominic Raab admitted that the challenge posed by Islamist prisoners had been under-estimated.

He said action was needed because “coercive, controlling behaviour by extremists” had been allowed “to poison the well” behind bars to the detriment of public safety.

Mr Raab promised more use of separation centres for the most dangerous terrorists and an end to allowing extremists to exploit “religious and cultural sensitivities” over halal food to keep prison officers out of kitchens.

He also said the Government’s new Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act would “stop the legal attrition that we are starting to see with terrorists and extremists claiming the right to socialise within prison, when they actually want to radicalise.” Seven such HRA cases had cost the Government £500,000 to defend, he added.

His pledges follow a series of attacks, including two murders at Fishmongers’ Hall in 2019, by recently-freed terrorist prisoners and came in response to a report published today by the terrorism watchdog Jonathan Hall QC.

Mr Hall warns in the report that some prison staff, including governors, have allowed Islamist terrorists to take control of prison wings and operate like gangs, running sharia courts and even administering punishment such as floggings. He also discloses that prison staff have asked “emirs” to help keep order and that a legal loophole is permitting radicalisation to take place in cells without breaching terrorist laws.

Speaking on LBC radio today, Mr Raab admitted that only nine places out of 28 in specialist separation centres were currently being used, but said this would change.