UK introduces emergency terror law to parliament

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) - The British government introduced emergency legislation Feb. 11 to end the automatic early release of terrorist offenders, according to a government statement.

The legislation will require convicted terrorists to undergo a risk assessment by a parole board before being released.

The government aims to pass the law by Feb. 27, the day before the next terrorist prisoner is due to be automatically released.

Sudesh Amman, 20, stabbed two people earlier this month before being shot by police. He previously had been convicted of terror offenses and released from prison before completing his full sentence.

“No dangerous terrorist should be released automatically only to go on to kill and maim innocent people on our streets,” said Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC MP.

“Enough is enough,” he added. “This government will do whatever it takes to keep the public safe, including making sure no terror offender is released early without a thorough risk assessment by the Parole Board.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Recent months have been a stark reminder of the threat we continue to face from terrorism. We are determined to ensure that dangerous terrorists are not free to spread their hateful ideologies or harm the public.”

“We are already boosting funding for counter-terrorism police and victims of terrorism and this legislation will ensure terrorist offenders are not released early unless there has been a full assessment of the risks,” she added.

The law will affect current as well as future prisoners and as such will affect about 50 terrorist prisoners currently in prison.

The retrospective nature of the law is controversial among civil rights advocates and expected to draw legal challengers as it means current terror offenders due for automatic release would have to spend more time in prison than was decided at trial.