The Government has launched an Islamic Extremism unit, ‘A specialist team of ‘counter-terrorism experts aimed at tackling extremism in prisons’, as the BBC put it.

The announcement comes in the wake of the Westminster terror attacks.  But unless they dissuade prison inmates from converting to Islam in the first place, their efforts will have little effect.

The terrorist responsible for Wednesday’s Westminster murders converted to Islam in prison, from information now emerging.  He was then radicalised.

Khalid Masood killed four innocent people on Westminster Bridge and around Parliament in London on 22nd March 2017.  But he was born Adrian Elms and served time for a string of criminal offences before turning to Islam and becoming a terrorist.

Islamic Extremism books removal plan in August 2016

Last August (2016), the Justice Secretary announced that Islamic extremists would be put in ‘separate units’.  The BBC report is in this link.  Rt Hon Liz Truss MP also set out plans for the removal of extremist books from prison libraries.  She also announced ‘stronger vetting’ of prison chaplains.

A Government Report in that very month had found ‘complacency’ at the ‘growing problem’ of Islamist extremism in jails.

The report highlighted: * Muslim gang culture and the consequent violence, drug trafficking and criminality inspired or directed by these groups;
* Offenders advocating support for Daesh and threats against staff and other prisoners;
* Charismatic Islamic Extremism prisoners acting as self-styled ‘emirs’ and exerting a controlling and radicalising influence on the wider Muslim prison population;
* Aggressive encouragement of conversions to Islam;
* Unsupervised collective worship, sometimes at Friday Prayers including pressure on supervising staff to leave the prayer room;

It went to report on:
* Attempts by Islamic Extremism prisoners to engineer segregation by landing, by wing, or even by prison;
* Attempts to prevent staff searches by claiming dress is religious;
* Books and educational materials promoting extremist literature available in chaplaincy libraries or held by individual prisoners;
* Intimidation of prison Imams;
* Exploitation of staff fear of being labelled racist; and
* Abuse of rules preventing searches of communications between prisoners and lawyers.

Books problem identified in November 2015

But the Justice Department has failed in its primary God-given duty of protecting the public.  The BBC reported in July 2016 that five books were regarded as ‘extremist’ by the Prison Service. But they remained in jails in England and Wales for seven months after a review called for their removal.

Ian Acheson’s inspection team first alerted the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to the presence of the books in November 2015.  Mr Acheson then submitted his report in March 2016.  Publication of his findings was successively delayed.

One or more of the texts promoting Islamic extremism had been found in chaplaincy rooms at nine of the 11 prisons visited by the review team.  The BBC found the order to remove the books was only made on or after 20th June.

Mr Acheson gave evidence to the Commons Justice Committee on 13th July 2016.  He said his investigation had found ‘numerous examples’ of books that were ‘extremist in nature in prison chaplaincies’.

Mr Acheson said they contained ‘sometimes sectarian, homophobic and incendiary information that was freely available to vulnerable prisoners in many prisons’.  He said there was ‘no obvious control over it’.

Government complacency in April 2015

Moreover, two years ago, as the BBC reports, there was a warning that extremists were not properly monitored. The warning came from the former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office .  Chris Phillips said staff shortages enabled them to recruit others.  But the Justice Secretary of the time, Chris Grayling MP, rejected the claim.  A ‘very careful watch’ was kept, he said.

Sounding just like Jim Hacker from ‘Yes Minister’, Mr Grayling said: ‘We will never be complacent about the issue’.  Growing even more complacent, he added he had found ‘no evidence’ Mr Phillips’ claim was correct.  He even went on to rubbish the credentials of the former detective chief inspector.

There are more than 12,000 Muslims in jails across England and Wales and official 2013 data showed more than 100 Muslims in jail for terrorism offences in Great Britain.  We have not been able to find a more up-to-date report.

2010: Prisoners convert to Islam ‘for perks’

But back in 2010, Dame Anne Owers, former chief inspector of prisons, said prisoners were converting to Islam because of ‘perks’.  More time out of their cell and better food during Ramadan if they become Muslim were among them.

The Daily Telegraph reported at the time on the reasons given by inmates for switching to Islam.  These included the opportunity of ‘support and protection in a group with a powerful identity.’ ‘Perceptions of material advantages of identifying as Muslim’ were also cited.  Still others were ‘attracted by the discipline, structure and comfort of the religion’. Interviewees stressed the cohesive nature of Islam compared with other religious faiths for converts and ‘group solidarity’.

Dame Anne Owers’ report, entitled Muslim Prisoners’ Experiences, could not rock the multi-cultural boat.  It had to suggest Muslim prisoners are driven to Islamic extremism because they are treated as potential radicals while in jail.  But it is understandable for prison officers to take such a view.  She said, ‘There was very little comment from staff about Islam as a positive force’.

Converts ‘more vulnerable to Islamic extremism’

Thirty percent of the Muslims she interviewed had been converted to Islam in prison.  There was ‘an over-representation of black Muslim prisoners compared with black Muslims in the community’.  Dame Anne went on:  ‘This was reflected in our sample of converts of whom 65% (n=32) were black, 18% (n=9) white and 16% (n=8) of mixed heritage. None were (sic) Asian.’

Dame Anne voiced a particular concern about converts to Islam.  The BBC reports her as citing internal research showing they are more vulnerable to Islamic extremism.  But she also said suspicion of Muslim prisoners could fuel resentment and cause even more trouble.  Of course, an establishment figure would say that.

The Independent’s Adam Deen gives further reasons why new converts are so easily radicalised here.

The Government, she said, ‘sees the influence of Muslim chaplains explicitly as a key part of the strategy for minimising extremism in prisons’.  Christian Voice believes the primary objective should be to prevent prisoners converting to Islam in the first place.  Much more effort should be put into supporting Christian evangelism in prisons.

Christian evangelism reduces re-offending

Many of the public do not realise that it is entirely possible to be a Muslim and a criminal.  The historic view of the Charity Commission was ‘it is a good thing for a man to have a religion’.  Well, not if it is the Mohammedan religion.

It is perfectly possible to run a prostitution ring, a drugs factory or a protection racket and be a good Muslim.  Islam does not demand repentance.  Its first requirement is to confess the Shahadah, a statement about Allah and Mohammed.  Secondly, a Muslim performs the five-times-a-day prayer.  He also pays the Zakah (poor-due), fasts during Ramadan and goes on the Hajj.

In contrast, faith in Jesus Christ involves repentance.  The Christian faith involves a relationship with Jesus Christ, and a desire to live according to his ways.

The emphasis on turning away from sin  is why studies show that Christian prison evangelism reduces re-offending.  There should be massive Government support for Christian evangelistic outreach in prison.  Possibly fears of Evangelical rejection of sexual sin put the Christian faith at odds with contemporary mores.  But peoples’ lives are at stake here.  If a prisoner chooses muscular Christianity over Islam it is not just his life which is changed.  Innocent people will be protected from his criminality.  Crucially, they could be saved from the consequences of Islamic extremism.

Government has a duty to protect its citizens from lawlessness.  Ministries like the Prison Fellowship and Way4ward (part of Transformed) should be encouraged and supported by Government.  Churches too could become more aware and supportive of these ministries.

Prisoners ‘coerced’

The BBC quoted ex-prisoner John Shelly, who was inside for 15 years.  He said prisoners were being ‘coerced into doing that by some of what you might call the more prominent Muslims that are inside for various offences.’

Shelly spent time in more than 40 jails including HMP Whitemoor, a prison with a large Muslim population. Last year, chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said some of its inmates who had been convicted of terrorism offences were trying to influence and pressurise others.

Shelly was released from prison in 2015 after serving a 15-year sentence for armed robbery.  He said prisoners would often “join the extremists” because they were promised protection.  Worryingly, he claims to have seen prisoners plotting acts of terror as well as endorsing groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Not enough staff

He 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.’

Mr Phillips said: “The answer is to get into the prisons and to make sure the most susceptible people are kept away from those that might turn those into extremists and, at this moment, we cannot even keep drugs out of prison, we can’t keep mobile phones out of prison, so clearly there is not enough staff to do that.”

Muslim former prisoner Hassan said he had been unfairly discriminated against.  But interestingly, he went on to boast about the converts he had made: ‘I was inside for 14 years, and a lot of people became Muslim through me,’ he said.  How many of those went on to be radicalised into Islamic extremism?

Converted in prison

All the evidence now points to Khalid Masood having converted to Islam in prison before becoming radicalised.

He was born Adrian Elms to 17-year-old Janet Elms in Kent.  The Daily Telegraph reported Miss Elms married one Phillip Ajao in Sussex when Adrian was a small child.  In a peculiar twist, Janet and Philip Ajao now live in a farm near Trelech in Carmarthenshire, just four miles from where this article is being written.  There is much sympathy for Janet locally, estranged from her son and finding herself the centre of journalistic attention.

Masood/Elms had been jailed repeatedly for violent crime dating back to the 1980s, including grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and assault.  He was never jailed for terrorism offences.  In one report the Guardian claimed, ‘Police said Masood had been inspired by Islamic State’.

Former friend Lee Lawrence, who lives in Northiam, said: ‘It was while he was inside that Ade turned to Islam.’
‘He loved scaring people. He got off on being the hard man’  Mr Lawrence went to say Elms ‘wasn’t stupid’ and ‘was very articulate and intelligent’  But when he got angry ‘he would just snap and became a different person. It was terrifying. There was something inside his brain he just couldn’t control.’

Became a Muslim in Lewes prison in Sussex

Childhood friend Mark Ashdown told The Sun the man he knew as Adrian Elms announced his conversion to Islam after serving his first jail sentence in Lewes prison in Sussex. ‘When he first came out he told me he’d become a Muslim in prison and I thought he was joking.’

‘Then I saw he was quieter and much more serious. I gave him some cash-in-hand work for a few months as a labourer. He said he needed time to pray and read the Quran – something about finding inner peace.’

The Independent adds that Mr Ashdown said Masood still showed ‘flashes of the old Ade’, described as an ‘all round nice guy’  but they were few and far between.  His friend had become violent and became increasingly ‘religious’.

It is unclear whether Massod/Elms’ radicalisation occurred during his imprisonment at Lewes Prison, Wayland Prison in Norfolk or Ford open prison in West Sussex.  However, we also know Elms spent time teaching in Saudi Arabia.

The paper goes on: ‘Masood’s abrupt religious conversion will fuel concerns about the rising threat of criminals being brought under the influence of hardened jihadis while in prison – a pattern repeated time and again in Europe among Isis militants including those who carried out the Brussels and Paris attacks.’

Radicalised in prison

Islamic State hailed Masood as a “soldier of the Islamic State” in a claim of responsibility issued the following day.  However, the extent of any involvement by the terrorist group remains unclear.  The group has a history of grabbing the limelight in the wake of terror attacks.

Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the security thinktank the Royal United Services Institute, said: ‘We have always known that it is exceptionally hard to understand who will become a terrorist.  Masood is unusual in that only a minority become radicalised over the age of 30. His criminal record is unsurprising, as some studies show that a significant proportion of jihadists have had prior convictions.’

Mrs May, speaking in parliament early on Thursday, said Masood was ‘not part of the current intelligence picture’. She said: ‘Our working assumption is that the attacker was inspired by Islamist ideology’.  The Guardian reported that MI5 has a list of some 3,000 British nationals ‘regarded as potentially capable of committing an act of domestic terrorism’.  Massod/Elms was not among them.

What the Government can do against Islamic Extremism

There is a limit to what Government can do to prevent attacks like the one Masood carried out.  But preventing prisoners from becoming Muslim in the first place is something they can do by segregation and the banning of extremist literature and books in foreign languages from prison libraries and chapels.  Furthermore, they could even consider separating Muslim prisoners into separate jails. Christian evangelism should also be encouraged.  Pray the safety of the public is not sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.