UK promises sweeping reform after terror stabbing
Story highlights
The police yesterday shot Sudesh Amman, 20, at the busy Streatham High Road. He was allegedly wearing a fake suicide vest
After an Islamist extremist stabbed two people in London yesterday, the British government has promised strict action against not only the perpetrator, but also an overhaul to the system. Additionally, the government added that they would be stringent with people who were released from prison after being convicted for terrorism-related charges.
The police yesterday shot Sudesh Amman, 20, at the busy Streatham High Road. He was allegedly wearing a fake suicide vest.
AFP reported that Amman was released from prison earlier than expected and was serving time for terror offences.
A Police officer is seen near a site where a man was shot by armed officers in Streatham, south London, Britain, February 2, 2020 | Reuters
A similar incident had taken place two months ago, when police shot a terrorist who had been given an early release. In this case, the perpetrator had stabbed two to death attending a prisoner rehabilitation conference near London Bridge.
To that crime, the government responded by enforcing longer prison sentences for people charged with terror, ending the provision for early release, and also allotting more funds into the counter-terrorism police budget in the upcoming fiscal year.
Lucy D'Orsi, Deputy Assistance Commissioner said while giving a statement ''The suspect had been recently released from prison where he had been serving a sentence for Islamist-related offences''.
"The suspect has not yet been formally identified however... we are confident he was Sudesh Amman, aged 20", she added.
A police officer is seen near a site where a man was shot by armed officers in Streatham, south London, Britain, February 2, 2020 | Reuters
According to local media, Amman was imprisoned in December 2018 for 13 terror offences and released recently while being kept under ''police surveillance''.
In May 2018, he was arrested in North London for allegedly planning a terrorist attack. This was ascertained based on his posts on the messaging service Telegram.
After yesterday's incident, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced, ''Tomorrow (Monday) we will announce further plans for fundamental changes to the system for dealing with those convicted of terrorism offences''.
(With inputs from AFP)