Terror threat inmates to stay in jail beyond release date

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland will receive new powers to ensure that prisoners who pose a terror threat will have to remain in jail far beyond their normal release.

This means that hundreds of inmates jailed for non-terror offences, such as violence, theft or fraud, who may have been radicalised in prison and are feared to hold extremist sympathies could be refused the right to early automatic release.

Currently they are legally entitled to be freed halfway through their sentences. Buckland is now taking powers to refer any prisoner identified as a potential terrorist threat to the parole board who will only allow their release if they no longer pose a danger to the public. This could mean they remain in jail until the end of the original term handed down by judges.

According to the Henry Jackson Society, the last five terror attacks in the UK have been by violent criminals radicalised in jail or by extremists jailed for sharing terrorism materials but then further radicalised in prison.

Eilish O’Gara, a counter-terrorism expert at the HJS, cited as example the Reading terror attacker who killed three people, who came under the influence of the notorious radical preacher called Omar Brooks, also known as Abu Izzadeen during one of his prison sentences for theft and assault.

The Bill is also set to allow judges to hand out this maximum punishment to 18 to 20-year olds in exceptional cases to reflect the gravity of a crime. This includes acts of terrorism which lead to mass loss of life.