-
UK to overhaul terror sentences after London knife attack

Britain on Monday promised an urgent overhaul of the law regarding convicted terrorists after police shot dead an extremist on early release from prison who stabbed two people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland promised to introduce "emergency legislation" to end the current arrangement whereby terrorist offenders are released automatically after they have served half of their sentence.
Any early release would be subject to a risk assessment from the Parole Board, he said, adding the new measures would apply to serving prisoners.
"The earliest point at which the offenders will now be considered for release will be once they have served two-thirds of their sentence," he told MPs.
Buckland was speaking after Sudesh Amman, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, was shot dead after knifing two people on a busy street in Streatham, south London, on Sunday.
The Islamic State's propaganda arm called Amman "an IS fighter" and said "he carried out the attack in response to a call to target nationals" of countries belonging to the global coalition fighting against the jihadist group.
Amman was freed last week from prison after serving part of his sentence for 16 Islamist-related terror offences -- namely the possession and distribution of terrorist documents, Buckland said.
The attack came just over two months after a similar incident when armed police shot dead a convicted terrorist on early release near London Bridge in the heart of the city.
Usman Khan stabbed two people to death after attending a prisoner rehabilitation conference.
- PM pledges change -
Prime Minister Boris Johnson questioned why Amman had been released automatically with no involvement from the Parole Board and raised concerns about the effectiveness of de-radicalisation programmes in and out of jail.
"My anxiety is that we do not want to get back to a system where you have a lot of very, very laborious surveillance by our hard-pushed security services... when a custodial version might be better," he told reporters.
Previous measures announced after the London Bridge attack included tougher sentences of at least 14 years for the most serious terrorism offences, and more funding for counter-terrorism operations.
Amman, who was jailed for three years and four months in December 2018, had been staying in a hostel for newly released prisoners in Streatham since his release.
Police said he was under surveillance by plain-clothes officers, who were following him on foot.
Amman stole a knife from a cheap goods store and attacked a woman and a man further up the high road before being gunned down in an episode police said lasted for just 60 seconds.
Eyewitness video footage showed him writhing on the pavement outside a pharmacy as plain-clothes armed police officers pointed hand-held weapons at him and urged passers-by to get to safety.
Amman had a dark vest with silver canisters strapped to his body.
- 'Brainwashed' in jail -
Amman's mother told Sky News television that her son was a "nice, polite boy".
Haleema Faraz Khan said he seemed "normal" when she visited him on Thursday, and he called her before Sunday's attack asking her to make him some mutton biryani.
Khan, who is originally from Sri Lanka, said she thought the eldest of her five sons had become radicalised in prison.
"He was watching and listening to things online which brainwashed him," she said.
"Before he went to prison, he was not that religious. After he came out, he was really religious."
Police cordons remained in place at the scene in Streatham on Monday, as forensics officers gathered evidence.
Of the two people stabbed, police said a man in his 40s had been treated and was in a "serious but stable" condition. A woman in her 50s was discharged.
A third victim, a woman in her 20s, was treated for minor injuries thought to have been caused by broken glass following the shooting.
Counter-terror officers were conducting searches at the hostel and a home in Bishop's Stortford, north of the capital near London Stansted Airport.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said there were "roughly" more than 70 people in London who have been convicted of a terrorist offence, served time in prison and have been released.
SOURCE :AFP
Tags
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!