London: Al-Qaeda leaders are allegedly promoting jihad (holy war) from inside the high-security prisons in Britain by smuggling out propaganda for the Internet and finding recruits, a British Home Office funded think tank has claimed.
In an authoritative report, Quilliam, the think tank, said “mismanagement” by the Prison Service is helping al-Qaeda gain recruits and risks “strengthening jihadist movements”.
According to the report, Abu Qatada, described by Britain’s intelligence agency MI5 as Osama Bin Laden’ right-hand man in Europe, has allegedly posted fatwas (religious decrees) on the Internet from Long Lartin jail, calling for jihad or holy war and the “murder” of moderate Muslims, The Times reported.
Qatada is a radical Islamic cleric wanted on terror charges in Jordan. Like other jailed terrorist leaders, he is meant to be cut off from his supporters outside.
Even during a brief spell of freedom in 2005, a government-control order barred him from spreading his incendiary sermons without the permission of the British Home Secretary.
Yet last year (2008), it is said that Qatada and Adel Abdel Bary, leader of the UK branch of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, were able to smuggle out a series of fatwas legitimising attacks by al-Qaeda.
Qatada and Bary are two of about 100 Islamist terrorists in UK prisons.
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