Terrorism in prisons
by Tim Dieppe, Artillery Row:
A report published last week by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation entitled Terrorism in Prisons marks a step forwards in the recognition of this problem.
It makes for some stark reading.
The report, written before the conviction of Ali Harbi Ali for the Islamic motivated murder of Sir David Amess MP, notes that “the last four completed terrorist attacks in Great Britain have been carried out by prisoners serving their sentences in custody … or on licence in the community”. It points out that prisoners’ intent on encouraging terrorism “might find it easier to radicalise others if they were imprisoned for breaching their orders” than if they were out in the community.
The report cites evidence that there are Islamist gangs in many prisons, adopting a stance “that condones or encourages violence towards non-Muslim prisoners, prison officers and the general public”.
These gangs have been found to have “dominated the prisons in numbers and influence”. The report states that fear amongst prison staff and prisoners enables “extremist prisoners to exercise significant power and influence within the prison”.
Alarmingly, the author notes, “I was told that prison officers sometimes appeal to the wing ‘emir’ for their assistance in maintaining good order.” “Emir” is the Arabic word for “commander” that is generally used to refer to the dominant Muslim prisoner on a prison wing.
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