Streatham terrorist Sudesh Amman released early despite saying he wanted to murder MP
4 February 2020, 08:25 | Updated: 4 February 2020, 08:38
The terrorist who was shot dead by police after stabbing two people on a street in Streatham was released early from prison despite reportedly telling an inmate he wanted to murder an MP.
A former inmate with Sudesh Amman told The Times the 20-year-old wanted to mimic the murder of MP Jo Cox, who was stabbed and shot in a street in West Yorkshire in 2016.
He recalled Amman saying: "The only way to get these filthy kafirs [non-believers] out of Syria is to take out MPs like that white guy did with the lady in 2016."
The former inmate added: "The guy was definitely insane and he never hid his intentions, so it's crazy how he even got out of jail."
"[Amman] wanted to do something real, something organised like the [IRA] used to do."
The former North West London College student was shot dead in Streatham on Sunday afternoon after stabbing two people while wearing a fake suicide vest.
He had been released from prison just 10 days earlier after serving half of his more than three-year sentence for terror offences.
It rekindled concerns over terrorists being released early from prison, which was first raised after it was revealed the 2019 London Bridge terrorist, Usman Khan, was out on license from prison when he launched his deadly attack.
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On Monday, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland stressed a need for emergency legislation to prevent automatic early release for prisoners.
He said convicts would not be considered for release until they had served two-thirds of their sentences, and terrorists would serve their full term unless otherwise agreed by the Parole Board.
It comes after Boris Johnson promised to "bring forward" new legislation, but warned that de-radicalisation was a "very, very difficult thing to do."
The prime minister also said his government was struggling with finding ways to make new legislation apply to those who already qualify for release.
