Dozens of terrorists freed to walk the streets
A CONVICTED terrorist is being released on to the streets of Britain nearly every week, according to figures published by the Government.
A snapshot of Home Office figures shows that 46 prisoners held for terrorism offences were released between March 2017 and 2018.
Next month Anjem Choudary, the hate preacher, will be one of more than 500 terrorists to be freed in the UK since the Sept 11 terror attacks in 2001.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that at least 22 of Choudary’s acolytes have been released from prison since 2001, with another five expected in months.
Choudary was the leader of the banned terrorist group al-Muhajiroun, whose followers included Khuram Butt, part of the London Bridge terror cell.
Other disciples were the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby. Chris Phillips, the former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, told The Sunday Telegraph: “If you’re going to release hardened terrorists on to the streets then you have to expect chaos.”
Separate figures show there are 218 terrorist prisoners still in jail. Ben Wallace, the security minister, said: “These figures show our response is working and we are now seeing more terrorism trials than ever and longer sentences for the most dangerous offenders.”
MORE than 20 convicted terrorists linked to Anjem Choudary, the Islamist hate preacher, are free to walk the streets of Britain, with more to be released within months, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
Choudary will be freed on licence next month, having served half of his 66-month sentence for encouraging Muslims to join Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
A dossier of prisoners jailed for terrorist offences in Britain, compiled by Hannah Stuart, a former senior research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, shows that at least 23 acolytes of Choudary will have been released. Another five will become eligible for parole within the next year. Some of Choudary’s network were members of his terrorist group al-Muhajiroun, while others were known to hold meetings with the hate preacher or speak on the same platforms.
Choudary is expected to be subject to more than 20 licence conditions with similar restrictions likely to be placed on his associates.
Dr Steve Hewitt, an academic expert in counter-terrorism from the University of Birmingham, said putting all the released prisoners under surveillance would be an insurmountable task. He said: “When it comes to around-theclock surveillance, there is only a small number of people they can do that for, because it is so resource intensive.”
Chris Phillips, a former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, said: “In the 17 years since 9/11, we have seen a load of people convicted for terrorism offences.
“Now we are starting to see some serious ones coming out. We’ve already got 3,000 on the watch list, and 20,000 people of concern. If you’re going to release hardened terrorists onto the streets, then you have to expect chaos.”
According to Hannah Stuart’s dossier, one of the men soon eligible for parole is Shah Rahman, who planned to plant a bomb in the London Stock Exchange around Christmas 2010. In 2012, Rahman was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in the plot, but he could be out on parole before the end of the year.
Choudary described Rahman as a “student” of his during the would-be bomber’s trial and also counted him as a member of al-Muhajiroun.
Another convicted terrorist, Kazi Islam, could be released in eight weeks, after serving three-and-a-half years of an eight-year sentence. Islam, who was 18 when convicted, tried to convince a man with learning difficulties to buy the components for a pipe bomb.
Last week, Rory Stewart, the prisons minister, said of Choudary: “We will be watching him very carefully.”