Number 10: Emergency law must be passed by 27 February to prevent six terror suspects walking free
2 min read
An emergency law ending automatic early release must be passed by 27 February to prevent six terror suspects walking free from prison within weeks, the Government has warned.
Whitehall officials called on the House of Lords not to hold up the legislation so that it can be on the statute book by the end of the month.
It is understood that one potentially-dangerous inmate is due to leave prison on 28 February unless the law is passed the day before.
And a further five currently inside for terror-related offences are set for release in March if the law is not changed in time.
Ministers want MPs to have passed the new law by 13 February, with the House of Lords scrutinising it when Parliament returns from recess on 25 February.
It would mean that prisoners convicted of any terrorist-related offence will not be liable for parole until they have served two-thirds of their sentence, rather than half.
They would then be assessed by a new arm of the Parole Board, which would have the power to keep them in prison indefinitely if they are judged to still pose a threat to the public.
The new law has been drawn after Sudesh Amman was shot and killed by anti-terror police shot last Sunday after stabbing three people while wearing a hoax suicide vest in Streatham, south London.
He had been released from prison just days earlier, having served half of a 40-month sentence for the possession of terrorist materials.
A Whitehall official said: "If the legislation is passed by 27 February, 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 and we are sure the Lords will wish to carry out its scrutiny quickly, allowing Royal Assent by 27 February.
"We cannot continue to be a position where the state has no power to block the release of terrorists who continue to pose a threat to the public."
The official added: "It needs to be passed by the 27th, you should consider that in parliamentary terms a hard stop if we want to be able to have in place emergency legislation to prevent any further automatic release of terrorist suspects who might still pose a risk to the public."
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