Boris Johnson backs review of 74 people released early from terror convictions
Seventy-four people released from prison early after being convicted of terror offences will have their release conditions reviewed.
Boris Johnson said the review began on Friday after it was revealed that London Bridge attacker Usman Khan only served half of his 16-year sentence for plotting to blow up the London Stock Exchange.
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The government announced plans last night to enact sweeping new anti-terror laws to ensure convicted terrorists would not be eligible for early release and would spend at least 14 years behind bars.
When asked by the BBC today about the 74 people already released early for terror offences, Johnson said: “What we’re doing there is we’ve taken a lot of action in the last 48 hours.
“I don’t want to go into the operational detail, I’m sure people can imagine what we’re doing to ensure that the 74 other individuals who have been out early, on the basis of the Labour change to the legislation, they are being properly invigilated to ensure there is no threat to the public.”
Khan was still wearing an electronic GPS tag from prison when he killed two people on London Bridge on Friday.
He was shot dead by police shortly after.
He was convicted of terrorism offences in 2012 and released in December 2018.
His conditions for early release included attending a government programme intended to de-radicalise people convicted of terror offences.
“He had mentors, he had restrictions on his mobile phone, on his internet and so on,” Johnson said.
“The key issue is he was allowed out early.
“It was nothing to do with parole, nothing to do with the probation service, legally there was no way of stopping him of coming out early on the basis he was sentenced.”
Johnson blamed the previous Labour government for the automatic early release policy that allowed Khan to serve just half of his sentence.
However, Jeremy Corbyn blamed the Tories for his release, labelling it “a complete disaster” and calling for a “very full investigation”.
He told Sky News today that people convicted of terrorism offences should ‘not necessarily’ serve full prison sentences.
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“[Under Labour], there would be a psychological assessment of prisoners before they are released to see if they are actually an ever present danger to society,” Corbyn said.
“The parole board would be involved if they make that decision ahead of full sentence.”