Britain to toughen terrorism rules after London attack

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out tougher rules on releasing people convicted of terrorism offences after an extremist attacker injured two people in a stabbing spree days after he was set free half way through his prison term.

Sudesh Amman, jailed in 2018 for possession of terrorist documents and disseminating terrorist publications, was shot dead by police on Sunday after he went on the rampage with a stolen 10-inch (25 cm) knife on a busy London street.

Amman had previously praised the Islamic State militant group, shared an online al Qaeda magazine and encouraged his girlfriend to behead her parents.

Johnson said the government would announce fundamental changes in dealing with people convicted of terrorism offences.

“Those measures will build upon the actions we have already put in place,” said his interior minister, Priti Patel. She said there would be legislation to end the early release from prison of counter-terrorism offenders.

“It is right that these individuals are kept behind bars,” Patel said.

British politicians have repeatedly discussed tougher rules on terrorism, calls that increased after a former convict killed two people and wounded three more before police shot him dead near London Bridge in November.

Johnson said that since that attack, the government had “moved quickly to introduce a package of measures to strengthen every element of our response to terrorism – including longer prison sentences and more money for the police”.

Mark Rowley, formerly Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism police officer who was in post when Amman was arrested, said dozens of other people convicted of terrorism offences were due to be released soon.

Amman was 17 and living at home with his mother and younger siblings when he first began committing terrorism offences, according to authorities. Police became aware of his activities in April 2018 and he was arrested by armed officers in a north London street a month later.

When officers examined his computers and phone, they found he had downloaded material about making explosives and carrying out terrorist attacks, according to prosecutors.

Messages showed that he had discussed with his family, friends and girlfriend his extreme views and desire to carry out an attack, often focused on using a knife, prosecutors said.