For our sake, keep the terrorists inside

IT’S A WAKE-UP call loud enough to resonate across the nation. Over the next few months a small but potentially deadly group of jihadists jailed for a range of terror offences will be freed. Their crimes cover a broad spectrum: from possession of documents “useful for the acts of terrorism” to “preparation of terrorist acts” or attempting to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State death cult.

Most, like vile terrorist Sudesh Amman, inset, who died in Streatham a week ago in a hail of bullets fired by some of the 20-strong team of undercover officers tasked to follow him since his release 10 days earlier, have lived desolate, warped lives in which they have achieved the sum total of absolutely nothing.

But how many see their impending release as the moment they can fulfil their jihad? As more than 350 have already been released and further releases are due at around one a week, this is something that urgently needs to be addressed.

So, what to do?

There is only way to combat an evil as all-encompassing as this, and it needs concerted action on many fronts.

Firstly, the Government is spot on with its desire to halt early release for anyone jailed for a terror-related offence, but there is a race against time as Mohammed Zahir Khan is due to be freed this month after serving half of the four-and-a-half year sentence he got for supporting IS and calling for Shia Muslims to be burnt alive. Ministers hope to have the law in place the day before – it is as close as that.

Next month he could be joined by Mohammed Khilji, who got five years for offences including the sharing of graphic videos showing soldiers being beheaded. That month Jamshed Javeed could be a free man. The ex-teacher got six years for being involved in terror plotting and planned to join IS in Syria. Do you want any of them – or the dozens like them – living near you, or close to someone you love?

Let’s agree now that they all serve full term, and we bring back the IPP orders discarded in 2012. Introduced in 2005 by Labour home secretary David Blunkett, they allowed authorities to detain anyone convicted of a violent or sexual offence whom they thought had a real chance of re-offending.

They could – and should – be reintroduced for terror offences and that would mean these criminals are jailed for as long as they are thought to pose a threat.

Secondly, it is time to suspend the

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LET’S be honest, if we didn’t ultimately face jail for not paying it, few of us would continue to pay for the absurdly outdated TV licence. With its usual exquisite timing the BBC announces it will hike the price later this year. That’s why the consultation launched last week by the Government about the possible decriminalisation of non-payment is so welcome.

Culture Secretary Baroness Nicky Morgan likens the Beeb’s potential plight to that of Blockbuster video – they are just as out of date as an overdue VHS. Their coverage of Brexit negotiations continues to have the tone of a national disaster. With their stars on inflated salaries – not least Claudia Winkleman (above left, with Tess Daly) on something like £370,000 a year – they’re as much in tune with the national mood as Jean-claude Juncker after a long lunch.

Human Rights Act to allow for a full review, and possible repeal. This was introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour government in 1998 but ask yourself this: how has it helped you in any way, unless you’re an illegal immigrant or foreign criminal trying to dodge deportation?

The Europe-wide drive for human rights followed the criminal excesses of the Nazis in Germany before and during the Second World War. It was a time that saw unspeakable brutality. It can therefore be seen as a totally understandable human reaction to the horrors of a previous age, but the idea it is still needed is plain crazy. In future, anyone charged in connection with a terror-related crime must know they will

have a fair trial, with a lawyer appointed for them if needs be. But, upon conviction there will no lame recourse to any questionable human rights law whatsoever.

And the “supply chain” of these twisted individuals must be stopped. Our schools boast they have “British values” on the curriculum, why can’t that include pointing up the dangers of Islamic radicalisation? As responsible parents, we warn our children to be wary of strangers for their safety. Mosques must be compelled to tell Muslim children of the dangers of the perversion of the true meaning of their faith.

The stakes could hardly be any higher, but only in this way do we stand a chance in the face of this concerted terror threat.

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AFTER the (predictably) spectacular incompetence of the Democrats’ bungled bid to get the President impeached, Donald Trump’s popularity continues to soar.

Indeed, he has a higher approval rating than either George Bush or Barack Obama at similar times in their presidencies before their elections later in the year.

Seeing as the dismal Democrats have struggled to work out who won their vote in Iowa, which has a population far less than half of London’s, Trump won’t be needing to order the removal vans from the White House any time soon.

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DESPERATE to polish their eco credentials, the Government rushed out a series of announcements last week – from banning the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars from 2035 to offering £50million to be the first local authority to have their town or small city served by a solely electric fleet of buses.

So far, so green, but consider this: it will have taken 15 years to build the Hinkley Point power plant by the time it is finished. Do they think they will have adequate provision of electricity in the next 15 years?