The British government is seeking to rush emergency laws through parliament before the end of February to keep convicted terrorists in prison before the imminent release of a number of extremists deemed a risk to the public.
Measures to end the automatic release of terrorists halfway through their sentence will be introduced next Tuesday and pass all its stages in the Commons two days later.
A Whitehall official said the government would seek to push the legislation through the House of Lords after a parliamentary recess so that it becomes law on February 27th, a day before one of those deemed dangerous is due to be released. Five other terrorist prisoners are due for early release during March.
“If the legislation is passed by February 27th we can prevent the automatic release of any further terrorist suspects who might pose a threat to the public. This is emergency legislation which we believe is vital for protecting the public. We are sure the Lords will wish to carry out this scrutiny quickly allowing royal assent by February 27th. We cannot continue to be in a position where the state has no power to block the release of terrorists who continue to pose a threat,” the official said.
Had to be released
The move follows an incident in south London last Sunday, when police shot dead Sudesh Amman, a convicted terrorist who had been released early, after he stabbed two people on the street. Amman was under 24-hour surveillance because police viewed him as a risk but rules meant he had to be released halfway through his sentence.
The new rules would allow convicted terrorists to be freed after serving two-thirds of their sentence but only if their release was approved by a panel of judges and psychiatrists.
During prime minister's questions on Wednesday, Boris Johnson paid tribute to the police for their action in shooting Amman on Sunday.
“That appalling incident makes plain the case for immediate action, and we will shortly introduce emergency legislation to ensure that we do everything to protect the public,” he said.
Later in prime minister's questions, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood raised the murder of Paul Quinn, calling on Northern Ireland's finance minister Conor Murphy to share any information he has about the killing with the police.
“Paul was beaten to death by an IRA gang in 2007. They broke every single bone in his body. So much so that his mother couldn’t place rosary beads in his hands in his coffin. In the aftermath of that, the now finance minister Conor Murphy said that Paul was linked to criminality. That was a lie.
“Will the prime minister agree with me that Conor Murphy should retract that lie, publicly apologise and give any information he has to the PSNI about Paul’s murder?” Mr Eastwood said.
Mr Johnson said the whole House would hear the passion with which the SDLP leader spoke about the murder and promised that his government would implement the Stormont House agreement “in such a way as to provide certainty for veterans and of course justice for victims as well”.
