MI5 and a senior judge warned against lifting restrictions on a terror suspect who was feared to have been plotting an atrocity in London and who is now being freed to roam the streets, court papers reveal today.
The security service said there was a “real risk” that the man, known as CD, would seek to revive his plans for attacks in the UK if his terrorism prevention and investigation measure ended. Mr Justice Ouseley backed the Home Secretary in a court battle just over a year ago, that CD’s Tpim restrictions should remain in place.
MI5 assessed him as the leading figure in a network of Islamist extremists based in north London and to have been planning a Mumbai-style attack. He is also thought to have trained alongside the July 2005 failed bombers, as well as in Syria, and to have sought firearms to carry out a terror strike.
Despite the warnings, CD’s Tpim is being lifted within days, according to Westminster sources, or has already ended as the anti-terror measures are time limited to two years. “CD and other suspects were deemed highly dangerous committed terrorists only months ago by the Home Secretary and independent judges. Are they still dangerous now or not? We need to know,” said shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper.
“We need an urgent independent threat assessment of each Tpim terror suspect and the Home Secretary and Prime Minister need to assure the country that they will not increase the danger to the public.” Eight suspected terrorists were on Tpims until recently. Two are believed to have ended with three more being lifted in days. Two terror suspects on Tpims are still on the run.
CD and other suspects coming off Tpims are likely to be put under greater MI5 and police surveillance. Ministers insist that this will deal with any threat that they pose.
