Race against time for legal block to keep terrorists in jail

MINISTERS are in a race against time to introduce anti-terror sentencing laws before the latest extremist is due to be released on Feb 28, Whitehall sources disclosed yesterday.

They aim to push emergency legislation through Parliament by Feb 27 to halt the automatic release of further terrorists following Sunday’s Streatham attack by freed fanatic Sudesh Amman, 20, who was shot dead by police.

Sources said that one terrorist was due for early release from prison at the end of this month, with a further five terrorists due out during March.

The first is believed to be Mohammed Zahir Khan, 42, a Sunderland shopkeeper jailed for four-and-a-half years in May 2018 for encouraging terrorism, disseminating a terror publication and stirring up religious hatred.

He posted support for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) on Twitter and called for the death of Shias as well as posting a Facebook statement about martyrs and reposting Isil calls to attack US bases in the UK.

Others are thought to include Nourdeen

Abdullah, jailed for five years, three months for distributing Isil propaganda; Mohammed Khilji, jailed for sharing soldier beheadings videos, and Mohammed Ghani, jailed for 28 months for possessing terrorist documents.

Instead of being released halfway through their sentences, the proposed law will retrospectively require jailed

‘Part of the solution must be ensuring that those who pose the greatest threat to our society are removed from it’

terrorists to face a review by a specialist parole board at the two-thirds point to decide if they remain a danger to the public.

Those judged a risk will stay in jail for the remainder of their sentences when they could face court-ordered restrictions, known as TPIMS, curbing their travel, overnight residence, communications and contacts.

The Bill will be introduced to the Commons on Tuesday and fast-tracked through the Lords for Royal Assent.

Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism police officer backed the Government’s plans and warned that police cannot watch all dangerous extremists on Britain’s streets.

Neil Basu, the head of UK counterterrorism policing, said: “With 3,000 or so subjects of interest currently on our radar and many convicted terrorists soon due to be released from prison, we simply cannot watch all of them, all the time. Part of the solution must be ensuring that those who pose the greatest threat to our society are removed from it, and so my colleagues and I are supportive of the Government’s plans to strengthen our ability to keep the most dangerous terrorists locked up for longer.”

The knife attack by Amman, which left two people injured, was the third in as many months following London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan’s murder of two Cambridge graduates, and the knife attack on prison officers by two inmates wearing suicide vests in HMP Whitemoor.

With the UK terror threat level at

“substantial” – meaning an attack is likely – Mr Basu said the “threat is, despite our best efforts, not diminishing”.

He added that the police needed the public’s help to prevent attacks. “We need people to trust their instincts and trust us with that information and not just signs of suspicious activity or behaviour. That means vigilance wherever you go. Sunday’s incident is proof that attacks can happen anywhere and at any time.”

Dame Cressida Dick, the Met Commissioner, said the nature of surveillance was such that officers were not “man to man” marking Amman, enabling him to stab two people before police ended his attack within 60 seconds.

“I wish I could assure the public that everybody who poses a risk on the streets could be subject to some sort of thing that would stop them being able to stab anybody ever, but it is clearly not possible,” she said.

She disclosed that Met police were considering allowing paramedics with specialist training to enter dangerous terror scenes that might still be “hot” or “live” to treat victims and potentially save lives. She said there was a review into the proposal and “this might be the right time to do it”.

“It will be different, and it will be expensive and there might be a limited number of times,” she said.