Prisons on Alert as Fears Mount Over Islamist-Inspired Attacks This Summer

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Prisons on Alert as Fears Mount Over Islamist-Inspired Attacks This Summer

 

Concerns are mounting within the prison system after a violent assault by the Manchester Arena bomber’s brother raised alarm over the growing threat of Islamist-inspired attacks behind bars. The prison service is bracing for further violence this summer, fearing that extremist inmates may exploit the chaos and vulnerabilities of Britain’s overcrowded prison system.

 

Hashem Abedi, who is serving a 55-year sentence for his role in helping his brother Salman carry out the 2017 suicide bombing that killed 22 people at Manchester Arena, launched a brutal attack on three prison officers at HMP Frankland in County Durham on April 12. He hurled scalding cooking oil at them and used improvised weapons to stab them. The incident occurred inside the prison’s separation centre, a highly secure unit designed to isolate radicalised inmates and prevent them from influencing others.

 

The following day, another violent event unfolded at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire, where a prisoner was arrested on suspicion of murder after a fellow inmate, a convicted killer, was found dead. A police investigation is ongoing, though authorities are not under urgent pressure to charge the suspect since he is already incarcerated.

 

A senior source within the prison service acknowledged that there is “real concern” extremists could take advantage of the current overcrowding crisis to commit more attacks. This fear is compounded by lapses in protocol and deteriorating safety standards in some high-security prisons, particularly HMP Belmarsh, where Abedi was transferred following the Frankland attack. Abedi had previously assaulted guards at Belmarsh in 2020.

 

 

A whistleblower at Belmarsh told The Times that staff have increasingly seen risk being “poorly managed” or “accepted without effective control measures.” One example cited was the unlocking of high-security prisoners when staffing was minimal—against established procedures requiring all inmates to be securely contained during such times. The whistleblower also highlighted incidents of inmates being allowed into restricted zones, such as the space between the inner and outer prison fences, despite security regulations.

 

The whistleblower criticized management for focusing on “short-term targets” and “image and appearance,” rather than prioritizing safety. “Proper behaviour management” and adherence to security protocols have been undermined, they said.

 

Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, urged swift and decisive action to tackle extremism in prisons. “The attacks at HMP Frankland must be a fundamental turning point in how the prison service contains extremist prisoners and protects prison officers,” he said. “As former governors have warned, unless the Ministry of Justice makes radical changes now, we face the very real risk that an officer might lose their life.”

 

In response to the growing criticism, the Ministry of Justice strongly denied that safety was being sacrificed for superficial goals. A spokesman said: “We wholly refute the suggestion that prison service management is prioritising short-term target setting, image and appearance and misjudging the risk posed by the dangerous offenders in custody. We will do whatever it takes to protect our hardworking staff, and we are going even further.”

 

Measures now being considered include an operational trial of tasers and a rapid review into providing body armour for frontline staff. A full independent inquiry into the Frankland incident is also underway.

 

The attack has also triggered a counterterrorism investigation into whether radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary influenced Abedi. Choudary was among six inmates housed in the same separation unit as Abedi. According to prison sources, other inmates appeared to know about the planned attack and created a diversion by gathering in the prison gym. “They knew something was going on and were grinning and smiling,” a source told The Times, adding that the tactic left only three officers to supervise Abedi in the kitchen, where the attack occurred.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-05-02

 

 

[blaze master]

5 minutes ago, Social Media said:

 

Hashem Abedi, who is serving a 55-year sentence for his role in helping his brother Salman carry out the 2017 suicide bombing that killed 22 people at Manchester Arena, launched a brutal attack on three prison officers at HMP Frankland in County Durham on April 12. He hurled scalding cooking oil at them and used improvised weapons to stab them. The incident occurred inside the prison’s separation centre, a highly secure unit designed to isolate radicalised inmates and prevent them from influencing others.

 

 

Sounds super secure. This piece of garbage needs to be erased from our species. Why is he still breathing and wasting tax money? What .......in the chance he might be rehabilitated? 

 

Sounds like UK also believes in the hug a thug program. What a disgrace.