'Public safety at risk' warning as fears UK Osama Bin Laden ally could be freed

There are growing fears that an ally of 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden could be released onto the streets of the UK in a matter of weeks.

Rochdale-born Rangzieb Ahmed was jailed for life with a minimum of 10 years in 2008 for planning a terror attack.

Ahmed, who was previously denied parole in 2022, headed a three-man Al-Qaeda cell that was preparing to commit mass murder.

His 2008 trial was told that counter-terrorism chiefs were not sure where Ahmed was planning to strike but were convinced an attack was imminent.

Now a  fresh hearing on whether he should be released is scheduled for September 25, GB News reports.

In its 2022 refusal, the Parole Board said that while Ahmed had engaged with an accredited programme to address extremist offending, as well as with religious leaders, concerns had been raised about his "attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour" in custody. 

The panel also examined a proposal for Ahmed to live in "designated accommodation" with strict limitations placed on his contacts, movements, and activities.

However, they decided the plan was not "robust" enough to manage Ahmed in the community.

A Parole Board spokesperson said: "An oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Rangzieb Ahmed and is scheduled to take place in September 2024.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

"Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.

"Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

"The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more.

"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."

Mohammed Zahir Khan, who was jailed for encouraging acts of terror and inciting religious hatred via his social media accounts, is also scheduled for a parole hearing in September, according to GB News.

Khan, originally from Birmingham, was a shopkeeper in Sunderland when he was arrested for posting material supporting the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

In comments on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote "death to Shias … death to every single one of them", describing people from that branch of Islam as "dirty and filthy Shiite scum" and calling for them to be burnt alive.

He also tweeted on January 2, 2017: “Welcome to the year of fear, IS will make this one the deadliest ever. Mr Kuffar (non-believers) prepare for real war.”

Chris Phillips, the former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, described the potential for the pair to be freed as "madness".

He told GB News: "Public safety will be at risk if either of these men are released. You have to question whether it will ever be safe for either of them to walk the streets again."

A Parole Board spokesperson said: "An oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Mohammed Zahir Khan and is scheduled to take place in September 2024.

"Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

"A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

"Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead-up to an oral hearing.

"Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

"The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more.

"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority."