Media caption , Justice Secretary Robert Buckland: unprecedented situation of severe gravity ” Human rights group Liberty described the government actions after recent terror attacks as a “cause of increasing concern for our civil liberties”. Clare Collier, an advocacy director for the campaign group, said: “From last month’s knee-jerk lie detector proposal, to today’s threat to break the law by changing people’s sentences retrospectively, continuing to introduce measures without review or evidence is dangerous and will create more problems than it solves.
“It’s clear the UK’s counter-terror system is in chaos and desperately needs proper scrutiny and review.”
Responding to the government announcement in the Commons, shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said the justice system was in “crisis” due to funding cuts .
“The government cannot use sentencing as a way of distracting from their record of bringing the criminal justice system to breaking point,” he said. Former government counter-terrorism adviser Professor Ian Acheson argued that there might be instances where offenders should stay in prison.
He told BBC News: “There will be some people for whom their ideology is bulletproof and there is no way we can get inside that.
“If there are people who are absolutely determined not to accept any intervention that will change that toxic mind-set, yes they should be in prison and if necessary, indefinitely. “
Although plans for the Parole Board to decide if people convicted of terrorism offences should be released after serving two thirds of their sentence were in the Queen’s Speech, there were no proposals at that stage for the measures to apply retrospectively. All that changed after the Streatham attack – the third incident involving convicted Islamist extremists in two months. Ministers are clearly concerned about the risks posed by other prisoners serving sentences for terrorism who are due to be let out: There’s about one release, on average, every week. But the measures, if approved by Parliament, will almost certainly be the subject of a challenge in the courts. Is it fair that a prisoner who’s been convicted and sentenced under one set of rules suddenly finds themselves locked up for longer under a different set of rules? The government is likely to justify its approach on the grounds of national security, so prepare for an epic legal battle that may well end up at the Supreme Court.
Amman was shot dead on Streatham High Road on Sunday afternoon after stabbing two people in what police called an Islamist-related terrorist incident. He wore an imitation suicide belt. He had been released from prison about a week ago after serving half of a sentence for terror offences, and was under police surveillance. Witnesses heard gunshots as armed officers shot Amman dead. Scotland Yard said armed officers were following Amman on foot as part of a “proactive counter-terrorism surveillance operation” in Streatham High Road. Three people were taken to hospitals, including the two stabbing victims.
One victim, a man in his s, is now said to be recovering after sustaining injuries that were initially thought to be life-threatening. Another, a woman in her 50 s, has been discharged from hospital.
A third woman in her 40 s suffered minor injuries, thought to have been caused by broken glass from the gunfire.
The attack comes after convicted terrorist Khan
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