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More than half of terror convicts will be freed in four years
Martin Bentham13 May 2009
More than half of recent terrorist convicts sent to prison will be free within five years despite continuing ministerial warnings about the risk of a new attack in Britain, official figures revealed today.
The Home Office statistics - which also show that nearly two thirds of all terrorist inmates are UK citizens - state that 56 offenders were jailed for terror related crimes in the 12 month period ending in March last year.
Ten were given life sentences and a further 14 were jailed for more than 10 years or given an “indeterminate” term under which they will only be released when it is judged safe to do so.
The other 32 were all handed sentences of less than 10 years, however, which means that because of rules allowing offenders to be released automatically after half their sentence, they will be freed within a maximum of five years.
The disclosure, which highlights a potential looming challenge for police and the security service in monitoring the freed convicts, came as Home Office statisticians released a report containing a barrage of figures on terrorist arrests and convictions.
The document shows that since the September 11 attacks in 2001, there has been a total of 1,471 terrorist related arrests in Britain with an average of 223 carried out each year.
Of those arrested, 340 were eventually charged with 222 prosecuted under terrorism legislation and a further 118 taken to court for other offences ranging from conspiracy to murder to credit card fraud.
The figures also reveal that only 196 people - equivalent to 13 per cent of those arrested - were ultimately convicted, although officials point out that the conviction rate is likely to rise as those whose cases have still to be dealt with by the courts, or were completed after March 2008, are not included in today's statistics.
Despite this, and the fact that the proportion of terrorist arrests leading to a charge is similar to the equivalent rate for other indictable offences, critics are certain to seize on today's figures as evidence that police are acting too soon and wrongly targeting some suspects.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker insisted, however, that the number of convictions represented a success for police and highlighted the danger posed by terrorist plotters.
“We know we face a real and serious threat from terrorism and the figures outlined today show 196 terrorist related convictions between September 2001 and March 2008,” he said
“This underlines the considerable success that the police, security service and intelligence agencies have had in disrupting terrorists and that the Crown Prosecution Service has had in prosecuting these individuals.”
Mr Coaker added that the evidence presented in some of the successful prosecutions, including plots to blow up nightclubs such as the Ministry of Sound and to detonate a “dirty bomb” in Britain, further highlighted the serious danger that the country continued to face.
Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights organisation Liberty, expressed concern about today's figures, however, and said some “wholly innocent” people were being wrongly detained.
She added: “In free societies we arrest on suspicion, charge with evidence and convict when there is proof. These figures remind us that the overwhelming majority of those arrested for terrorism were not guilty of any charge and half weren't charged at all.”
Today's report also reveals that there were 125 prisoners in British jails for terrorist related offences at the end of March 2008, including eight “historic cases from before 2001, of whom 75 were UK citizens.
It does not say how many of these were born abroad and had subsequently obtained a British passport, but the disclosure will heighten concerns both about citizenship procedures and “home grown” terrorism among UK born residents.
Reader views (6)
ID cards are needed to identify the bodies when more atrocities inevitably happen under this New Labour government.
- Adam, london, 13/05/2009 21:34
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And they are bringing in ID cards at £60 for what reason !!!
- Grim Reaper, uk, 13/05/2009 17:24
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Is there rally any point in our Forces fighting in Afghanistan when they are being stabbed in the back by a gutless Labour government whose only priority is to get as many Pork Scratchings as possible?
- Min Nie Ovens, London, UK, 13/05/2009 16:03
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Don't you just feel proud of the Human Rights Act and Liberty Organisation?
- Martin, Teddington, 13/05/2009 15:47
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And we can all sleep in our beds knowing that this governments stand on crime and terrorism has made Britain a much safer place - NOT.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 13/05/2009 15:27
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One day this Nation might fight back against the terrorists; but not until it becomes a civil war with the door to door battles going on in all the streets of the UK.
This could be avoided by clamping down now on all terrorists hard; bring back the death sentence for all convicted terrorists and their organizations; that is what they intend doing to all you pacifists and politically correct people.
Hasn't two world wars taught us anything?
- Mickyinlondon, london, 13/05/2009 15:02
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