𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Extremists without an “underlying ideology” who are plotting an attack will be prosecuted under a new offence, Shabana Mahmood has confirmed.

The Home Office is under pressure to introduce a “mass casualty attack” amid fears over a growing number of thugs obsessed with violence falling through the net because they are not classified as terrorists.

Plotters could be prosecuted for planning an atrocity, whilst those who knew but did nothing could be arrested.

This would mirror terrorism legislation.

And the Home Secretary admitted there is a wider issue of “boys whose minds are warped by time spent in isolation online”.

Killer Axel Rudakubana was referred to the Government’s anti-terror programme Prevent three times before his attack on the dance class on July 29 2024, the inquiry heard.

But chairman Sir Adrian Fulford said officers were “hampered” by a lack of clarity on whether they should take someone on who demonstrated signs of being fixated on violence but without adherence to a particular ideology.

Ms Mahmood said: “Unlike terrorist attacks, if you are planning an attack without an underlying ideology, there is no crime on the statute book.”

She suggested legislation to fill this gap would “be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows”.

Ms Mahmood later added: “The inquiry also identifies a wider issue – there are rising numbers of young men who are fascinated by extreme violence, boys whose minds are warped by time spent in isolation online.

“This is a risk to us all. Where someone is vulnerable to terrorism, they can and should be managed through the Prevent programme, however, where they are not, there is no clear approach to that risk.

“Today we published the terms of reference for the second part of the Southport Inquiry, and it will face directly into this challenge.”

But Shadow Home Office Minister Alicia Kearns told the Daily Express that Labour had dithered over the issue.

She said: “Two years on and the Government has still not acted on the extremely clear recommendation given by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation: Introduce a new offence of an individual planning a mass casualty attack without terrorist motivation.

“Whilst nothing can heal the pain caused by Rudakubana, this offence would give police the powers to disrupt and properly charge future would be imitators.

“The Government rejected my amendment to introduce this offence a full year ago. They claimed then they would legislate themselves. The Home Secretary today repeated this promise.

“The Conservatives have a draft law ready, devised in conjunction with Jonathan Hall KC. We will work with the Government – but need to see action, not false promises.

“This is simply too important and urgent to accept further delays. They should bring forward emergency legislation.”

Sir Adrian said rejecting Rudakubana for further action under the Prevent programme was the “wrong decision”.

He also said there were three further “missed opportunities” for Rudakubana to be referred to Prevent.

But he said he was unable to determine “with any degree of certainty” as to what the outcome would have been if Rudakubana had been adopted by the programme.

In his report, he said: “Put simply, this was a clearly signposted disaster waiting to happen, yet there was no effective mechanism to prevent it.

“In my judgment, the events of July 29 2024 have exposed a significant gap in the mechanisms by which the public are provided protection, including by way of adoption by the Prevent programme.”

Ms Mahmood said the Government had reviewed Prevent thresholds and published updated guidance.

She said: “We’ve introduced a new Prevent assessment framework with mandatory training for counter-terrorism case officers. Oversight of repeat Prevent referrals has been strengthened, ensuring that cumulative risk is not missed and that senior sign-off is required before a case is closed.”