Terrorist prisoners hit record high in British jails

New Home Office statistics show that a record number of terrorists are being held in British prisons, amid warnings over radicalisation inside ‘chaotic’ jails.

The data indicates that there were 243 people in custody for terror-related offences, up 24 on the previous year. The announcement follows the pursuing of a raft of changes by government ministers aiming to jail terror offenders for longer and make serious criminals serve more of their sentences in prison.

Four alleged terror attacks have been launched by serving or released prisoners in the past year, most notably in Fishmongers’ Hall, but also at HMP Whitemoor, Streatham and Reading.

Reports in The Independent quote prison officers as describing the current situation as ‘chaotic’ and a ‘nightmare’. The anonymous source also questioned how, given the inability to cope with the current extremist situation, the government planned on handling more extremists on longer jail terms.

Recent research warned that some extremists see their time in prison ‘as an opportunity’ to become more extreme and prepare for attacks.