UK Prison Cuts Facilitates Takfiri Recruiting

Staff cuts in England's prisons mean Takfiris were not properly monitored and were able to recruit others, the former head of the Britain's National Counter Terrorism Security Office had warned.

Chris Philips said prison guard shortages were making it more difficult to prevent Takfiri radicalization among inmates.

The former counter terrorism chief cited concerns over a growing prison population and the inability to ensure vulnerable inmates were protected from extremist radicals.

But Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said he found "no evidence" to support Philips' claim, insisting the government kept a "very careful watch" on the issue.

Official data indicated that 91 cases in jails across England and Wales were convicted of terrorism-related offenses.

Philips said a growing prison population combined with staff cutbacks presented a real concern.
However, UK Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the government had increased spending to prevent radicalization in prisons.

He also insisted prison overcrowding was "virtually" at its lowest level for a decade.
Home Secretary Theresa May also denied that staff shortages in prisons were making it harder to stop Takfiri radicalization.

Though, former prisoner John Shelley indicated he witnessed an increase in the number of radicalized inmates while incarcerated, some of whom were plotting terrorist attacks and endorsing "ISIL" and al-Qaeda.

Shelley said: "Extremism - it's grown and grown by the day and they've found themselves in a situation where they can't separate anyone because wherever they separate them to, they're just mixing them with other people who have the same view and same sort of message."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team