Faisal Akram was referred to UK anti-terror programme in 2016, MI5 in 2020

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Security forces in the UK are facing fresh questions after it was revealed on Friday that the Blackburn terrorist shot dead as he held up a synagogue in Texas, the US, last week had previously been referred to counterextremism scheme Prevent, the Daily Mail reported.

In the latest embarrassment for UK counter-terrorism officials, it was revealed that Malik Faisal Akram, 44, had been referred to the anti-terror programme following the breakdown of his marriage and concerns over his growing extremist views, the report said.

The 44-year-old was also investigated by MI5 in December 2020, when British spies watched him for a month.

However, the father-of-six, who was shot dead by FBI SWAT teams last week while holding up a Texas synagogue, was not considered a terrorist threat, despite multiple reports that he had been radicalised.

The fresh revelations will heap yet more pressure on the Home Office over Prevent, which is already under scrutiny following the death of MP Sir David Amess and a series of high-profile failures.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, the man who is accused of, and denies, murdering the Tory MP in a knife attack in his constituency of Southend in October last year, had been referred to Prevent a few years ago, the report said.

And it was also claimed at an inquest into the London Bridge terror attack that Prevent officers had ‘no specific training’ in handling terrorist offenders.

–IANS

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