An expert who carried out a review of the management of Islamist extremists in jail has said prison does not have the “aptitude or attitude” to manage terrorist offenders.
Ian Acheson, who led the independent review in 2016, told the BBC’s Today programme on Monday that the risk-management system was “broken”.
He added that some people were so dangerous they might need to be kept in prison “indefinitely”.
“We are going to have to accept that we have to be much more sceptical and robust about dealing with the risk of harm,” he said.
Sudesh Amman was shot dead after a stabbing attack in Streatham Met Police“We may need to accept that there are certain people who are so dangerous they must be kept in prison indefinitely.”
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Mr Acheson said that he was “concerned” about the prison service’s ability to manage terrorist offenders.
“Blame is a strong word – the prison service obviously cannot be blamed for lawfully releasing this man when they had to,” he said.
“I am more concerned about what happened when he was in custody.
“I am still unconvinced that the prison service itself has the aptitude or the attitude to assertively manage terrorist offenders.”
Police at the scene in Streatham High StreetNIGEL HOWARD ©Sudesh Amman, 20, who was jailed for possessing and distributing terrorist documents in December 2018, had been freed in the past six weeks.
Former head of UK counter-terrorism policing Sir Mark Rowley said there was a “case” for giving terrorists indeterminate prison sentences.
But he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that they should also be given rehabilitation and de-radicalisation support so they can change their ways.
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“I don’t think there should be a lock-up-and-throw-away-the key – we need to be as equally aggressive about trying to help people turn their lives around as we are determined to protect the public.”
He also warned that there will be more “dangerous people” on the UK’s streets being released from prisons with terrorism convictions than returning from Syria.
He added: “That seems to be what’s happening at the moment.
“One of the challenges for the Prime Minister and his team is how much he can look back and amend the rules for people already serving sentences.
“Legally that’s very, very difficult. But if there are many, many coming out on regimes that we no longer think work, is it possible to change that?
“Otherwise police and security services are going to have many, many more cases that they are prioritising.”