Government to be challenged in court over Prevent reviewer

Legal action from Rights Watch (UK) comes amid spate of terror attacks in London

The government’s failure to appoint an independent reviewer of its Prevent strategy and assess the controversial de-radicalisation programme’s effectiveness is to be challenged in court.

The decision by Rights Watch (UK) to initiate legal action against the Home Office comes amid terror attacks in London that raise questions about whether young men can be successfully directed away from terrorist violence.

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Sentencing: minister rejects European human rights convention warning

Matt Hancock’s comments come as UK seeks tougher sentencing for terrorists

A senior government minister has raised further questions over Britain’s relationship with the European convention on human rights (ECHR) as Boris Johnson scrambles to push through tougher sentencing for terrorists.

Legal experts have suggested the government’s intended plan to extend the time terrorists serve in prison could be in breach of the ECHR, to which Britain has been signed up for decades.

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Streatham terrorist ‘tried to stab with knife still in its packaging’

Woman attacked by Sudesh Amman tells how she escaped harm during ‘horrific’ incident

A woman attacked by Streatham terrorist Sudesh Amman has revealed she escaped harm because he tried to stab her with a knife still in its plastic packaging.

The woman, 36, originally from the Dominican Republic, told the BBC the incident was “horrific” and “like a movie”. In an interview translated from Spanish, she said she is struggling to walk the streets again after the traumatic experience.

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Streatham attack: Sudesh Amman freed after serving half his sentence – live news

Boris Johnson to announce plans for ‘fundamental changes’ to system for dealing with convicted terrorists. Follow the latest developments

Nazir Afzal, the former chief crown prosecutor for north-west England, has said, as he did after November’s London Bridge attack, which was – like the Streatham attack – carried out by a convicted terrorist, that he warned Boris Johnson four years ago about the threat posed by such individuals on release. He said he told the prime minister that proper de-radicalisation programmes were needed with mentoring, to which the response was that “that costs money”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning that longer sentences were not the answer.

We could have delayed this inevitable crime by a few months if we’d given him that [a longer sentence] but there is a real problem with de-radicalisation and disengagement programmes. They have been largely underfunded, they are poorly executed.

Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Sir Lanka and Denmark have world-renowned evaluated de-radicalisation programmes, properly resourced, which are making a significant difference.

My thoughts with those harmed in #Streatham & with thanks to our police & security services for running towards danger
I hate to remind people that the time bomb that releasing still radicalised terrorists was brought to the PMs personal attention 4 yrs ago https://t.co/lOsLktILSK pic.twitter.com/s7FkqZNiwO

Hello, this is Haroon Siddique taking over the liveblog from Jessica.

A witness told Sky News he thought at the time that it was probably gang-related.

"I just saw a fight, but that's kind of normal around here."

A witness to the terror attack in Streatham, south London told Sky News he thought it was just a regular fight until he heard a "shout" and everyone ran.

Latest here: https://t.co/XHvrvIOw6j pic.twitter.com/qwdl6zrMxB

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Streatham: man shot dead by police after stabbings in south London – latest updates

Police say two people injured after man shot dead in terrorism-related incident on Streatham High Road, south London

The British Red Cross has provided this statement on the Streatham terror incident:

Our sympathies are with those affected by this afternoon’s incident in Streatham. We are in communication with the authorities leading the response and are closely monitoring the situation.

We are ready to make the UK Solidarity Fund available to those affected by the attack.

Police have given an update on the condition of the three people known to have been injured in the Streatham terror attack this afternoon.

One is in hospital in a life-threatening condition.

A second victim was treated for minor injuries at the scene before being taken to hospital.

A third victim has been taken to hospital – their condition is not life-threatening.

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