Report: Majority of UK Terror Offenders Serve Less Than Three and a Half Years

LONDON, July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

"Remarkable publication … a vital resource worldwide."

Lord Carlile QC, former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation

Islamist Terrorism: The British Connections, by The Henry Jackson Society, presents the most comprehensive ever overview of the UK's links to Islamism-inspired terrorism worldwide.

This new edition profiles 138 Islamism-inspired terrorist convictions and attacks in the UK between 1999 and 2010, and proves how great a threat violent Islamism poses to the world - and Britain's place at the centre of this struggle.

Executive summary: http://goo.gl/8u5QJ

KEY TRENDS

Over a third of offenders posed imminent threat

• 36% of offences committed by active participants - those who committed or were imminently about to commit acts of terrorism
• 36% by facilitators and ideologues - those who prepared for terrorism, operationally, by fundraising, or incitement
• 19% by aspirants - those who demonstrated an interest in terrorism but who didn't pose an imminent threat
• 9% by supporters - convicted for assisting the active participants

54% of offenders serve less than three and a half years

• 35% received between 1 - 4 years and 19% 5 - 9 years
• Due to average time spent on remand, those sentenced to 1 - 4 years will serve no more than one year four months and those given 5 - 9 years no more than 3.5 years after conviction
• 20% received life sentences or indefinite detention - the majority for murder or explosives offences

Clear rise in offences between 2005 and 2007

• 64% of offences were committed during this period
• There have been eight major bomb plots resulting in convictions or attack

The UK faces a 'home-grown' threat and London remains a focal point

1. 69% of offences committed by British nationals
2. 50% by individuals of South-central Asian ancestry
3. 28% by either British Pakistanis or Pakistani born individuals
4. 46% by individuals living in London

Majority of terrorists had no links to proscribed organisations

• 34% had links to a proscribed organisation
• Al-Muhajiroun was connected to 18% of individuals and al-Qaeda 13%
• 7/8 major cells had al-Qaeda links

Majority of terrorists didn't attended terrorist training camps

• 28% had attended training camps, most commonly in Pakistan

Little correlation between terrorist activity, education and employment

• 42% of offences committed by individuals in employment or full-time education
• 30% had at some point attended university or a higher education institute