Police facing surge in extremists released from jail, analysis finds

Excerpt:

Police and security services face a surge in the number of convicted terrorists released from prison, Guardian analysis has shown, prompting warnings over the unique threats posed by extremists back on the streets.

More than 40% of the sentences for terrorism offences handed down over a 10-year period will have been served by the end of the year, analysis of figures compiled by the Sentencing Council show.

More than 80 of the 193 terms issued for terrorism offences between 2007 and 2016 will run out by the end of this year. However, the number of individuals released could be much higher as prisoners are eligible for release halfway through their sentence.

Among those eligible for parole in 2018 is the Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, who was jailed in September 2016 for five and a half years after already spending five months on remand in custody.

See more on this Topic