Al-qaeda chief jailed for terror plan given parole hearing date
A SENIOR Al-qaeda terrorist chief jailed for life for planning mass murder could be freed within weeks after being granted a Parole Board hearing.
Rangzieb Ahmed, once said to be Osama bin Laden’s top operative in Europe, was the first person in the UK to be convicted of directing terrorism.
He was jailed in 2008 for plotting mass murder and was caught with a book of terror contacts written in invisible ink, and a rucksack that contained traces of explosives.
Ahmed, 47, who has received legal aid totalling almost £1 million for all his proceedings, was last rejected for parole in September 2022 after officials judged he was too dangerous. Last July, Ahmed was ordered to take part in a de-radicalisation programme that aims to make him safe for release and he has now been approved for a new hearing on June 20, after which, if officials agree it is safe to release him, he could be freed within weeks.
Only days ago, it emerged Parviz Khan, who threatened to kidnap and decapitate a British Muslim soldier, is to have a Parole Board hearing next week.
Chris Phillips, the former head of the national counter terror security office, told GB News: “Public safety will be at risk if either of these men are released. You have to question whether it will ever be safe for either of them to walk the streets again.”
The terror threat from jailed Islamists has risen as almost one a week has been freed in the past year. Contest, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, has warned that four of the nine declared terrorist attacks in the UK since 2018 were perpetrated by serving or recently released prisoners.
There are currently more than 200 people in jail for terror offences.
“Those convicted of terrorism, or a related offence, may continue to pose a threat [on release],” said the Contest report. “Despite efforts to mitigate the terrorist risk posed by individuals in custody, the vast majority will require long-term risk management which may last for decades post release.”
Confirming the date of Ahmed’s hearing, a spokesman said: “Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
“A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.
“Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our No1 priority.”
Rochdale-born Ahmed was jailed for life with a minimum of 10 years in 2008 after Manchester Crown Court heard although counter-terror chiefs were not sure where the strike would be, they were convinced it was imminent.