One of Britain’s most dangerous terrorists, who was jailed for a plot to bomb an Army base in Luton, is set to be released from jail three years early – despite expert advice advising against the release.
Zahid Iqbal, along with Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, Umar Arshad and Syed Farhan Hussain, admitted to discussing a theoretical attack on the site back in 2013.
During his sentencing, the 31-year-old, who was also one of the gang’s ringleaders, was sentenced to life in prison, with the judge imposing a custodial sentence of at least 11 years and three months, with a five-year extension period.
But the parole board has ruled that Al-Qaeda-inspired Iqbal could be allowed back out onto the streets of Britain three years earlier than his maximum sentence.
Both Iqbal and Ahmed spoke about creating an improvised explosive device (IED) between January 2011 and April 2012.
They discussed following instructions in an online Al-Qaeda manual “How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom – by the al-Qaeda chef”.
The pair were arrested after a series of raids were conducted at their homes across April in 2012, following a joint operation led by Police Counter Terrorism Command and security services.
Recordings of the men, heard in court, revealed Iqbal suggesting attaching the IED to a remote-controlled toy car and sending it off under an entrance gate at a TA centre.
The jury heard he had also served as a facilitator for those seeking to travel for “extremist purposes”, including terrorist training abroad.
Zahid Iqbal was jailed for a bomb plot back in 2013
The judge subsequently jailed Iqbal after he admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.
But the controversial decision to release the terrorist will go ahead in just a matter of weeks, while both his prison offender manager and community offender manager has said he should remain behind bars.
Iqbal will be released under strict conditions, including staying at designated addresses and disclosing details of his relationships.
Speaking to Patrick Christys on the People’s Channel, Reform UK’s police and crime adviser Colin Sutton was up in arms over the decision to release the convict early.
“It’s another baffling decision by the parole board,” Mr Sutton seethed. “It’s not the first, and it won’t be the last.
“You know, there’s an expectation we’ve all got. These are the most serious offences that you can commit against our society.
“And this wasn’t a guy in his bedroom cooking something up. This was somebody who arranged training.
“He had links with al-Qaeda. He was a proper terrorist. And he was released early in 2021 and had to be called back in because he wasn’t complying with the conditions.
Reform UK’s crime adviser Colin Sutton branded the move a ‘baffling decision’
|
PA“Why do we think he’s going to comply with the conditions now?”
The parole board has told GB News: “The panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on his victims.
“It is standard prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during a hearing, which often lasts a full day or more.
“Parole reviews are undertaken throughout and with extreme care. Protecting the community is our number one priority.”