London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

London Bridge attack triggers review of licence conditions for freed terrorists

The Government has said every convicted terrorist released from prison will have their licence conditions reviewed.

The move comes in the wake of yesterday’s London Bridge terror attack that left two people dead, including Cambridge University graduate Jack Merritt.

Usman Khan, 28, had been released from prison on licence less than seven years into a 16-year sentence in December 2018 and was wearing an electronic tag when he carried out the attack.

Three others were also injured before Khan was shot dead by police.

The Ministry of Justice said: ‘Work is already advanced on reviewing the licence conditions of every terrorist offender, making sure conditions are as tough as they need to be.

‘We are also stepping up our already frequent meetings with these offenders.

There is nothing to indicate that the review relates to any particular individuals and is said to be a preventative measure.

UK head of counter-terrorism policing Neil Basu said on Saturday Khan had been under protection arrangements and complied with an ‘extensive list of licence conditions’ following his early release.

Government guidance states ‘all terrorist and domestic extremist offenders will be risk-assessed’ and the ‘threats that they pose to the community are significant and serious’.

Licence conditions vary with each offender but can include a duty to report to a manager, or to stay at an approved address where they can be monitored.

The review comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed scrapping early release would have stopped Khan.

However had Khan been sentenced under existing law he would have served at least two thirds of his sentence and could only have been released if the Parole Board agreed.

Mr Johnson said: ‘What I have seen over the last 24 hours has made me angry – it’s absolutely clear that we can’t carry on with the failed approaches of the past.

‘If you are convicted of a serious terrorist offence, there should be a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years – and some should never be released.

‘Further, for all terrorism and extremist offences the sentence announced by the judge must be the time actually served – these criminals must serve every day of their sentence, with no exceptions.’

Khan, who was living in Stafford, was given permission to travel into London by police and the probation service.

The knifeman was part of an al Qaida-inspired terror group that plotted to bomb the London Stock Exchange and build a training camp in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

In 2012 he was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection, with a minimum eight-year term that could have been kept in prison as long he was deemed a threat.

This was quashed at the Court of Appeal in April 2013 and he was given a 16-year jail term, with a five-year extended licence period, under old legislation that meant he was released automatically halfway through the sentence, including time spent on remand, in December last year.

Khan could only be sentenced under the law as it stood when he committed his offences.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×