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Security checks for radical terrorists were watered down after prisoners complained they “interfered with their religious beliefs”, furious officers have revealed.

Justice chiefs were accused of “pandering” to jihadists in HMP Frankland, County Durham, after sniffer dogs were removed from searches. Prison officers are demanding increased protections after Manchester bombing plotter Hashem Abedi attacked three prison officers with a make-shift blade made from cooking trays and hot oil.

Mark Fairhurst, from the Prison Officers Association, said a “management committee” overruled frontline staff with “psychological theory” and removed additional searches when prisoners leave their cells.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We are fed up with prison service policy being dictated by psychological theory and staff who work on separation centres being ignored, undermined and overruled.

“Staff on that separation centre have been overruled by some sort of separation centre management committee. When it first opened, every prisoner on that unit was thoroughly searched on the unit, and when they left the unit and when they returned to the unit.

“On occasions, they used to use dogs to help them with the searches with those prisoners. The prisoners complained that it interfered with their religious beliefs. The management committee overruled the staff and removed the dogs from searches.

“We appease these prisoners and pander to them. Why? Why are we obsessed with upsetting prisoners, terrorist prisoners?”

Abedi attacked three prison officers, stabbing them with a blade made from cooking trays and throwing hot oil in their faces. The officers sustained life-threatening injuries including burns, scalds and stab wounds in the “unprovoked” and “vicious” attack.

Mr Fairhurst called for terrorist offenders who could radicalise others to be held in American-style “super-max” security wings, where they are handcuffed whenever they leave their cells.

He said: “These are the most serious threat to national security. Anyone with an iota of common sense must agree that all we need to do with the type of offender who has an ideology that cannot be changed, you cannot reform them, you cannot rehabilitate them, their sole purpose is to destroy our way of life. All you need to do with them is control them, contain them, give them their basic entitlement.

“I think it is time for us to go down the super-max model for this type of offender, the same as they do in America, and totally restrict them. We give them too many freedoms. Why do we need to allow them to cook meals? We as a service give prisoners three meals a day. I would like to see a super-max model for this type of prisoner.

“You are housed in a cell, every time you leave your cell, you are handcuffed, you are escorted by three officers to where you need to go. You are given an hours exercise every day, you are given showers, you can contact your family, all your basic entitlements.”

Asked if prisoners would behave better if they are treated well, Mr Fairhurst said: “That’s what everybody thinks. But look at this situation, you dealt with this prisoner, you gave him all the freedom and privileges of other prisoners, and he’s used it to plot something. Staff are angry. Staff are traumatised.

“Things need to change. I’m fed up of people at director level hiding behind policy and procurement.”

Fresh fury erupted on Wednesday after Abedi was given a spork just days after launching a boiling oil attack on three prison guards.

Prison staff are understood to have raised concerns after Abedi was issued a plastic spork — a hybrid spoon and fork — due to fears it could be sharpened and used as a weapon.

Ministry of Justice sources told the Daily Express Abedi has the spork taken off him as soon as he finishes eating.

One prison expert said: “Sporks can be sharpened. Right now he should have nothing in his possession capable of being used as a weapon.”

Other inmates at the Frankland separation centre appeared to be aware of the plan. They deliberately congregated in the gym as a diversion, leaving only three guards to supervise Abedi.

The MoJ has suspended access to kitchens in separation and close supervision units, where inmates are kept apart from the general prison population.

In an open letter to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and the MoJ, survivor Martin Hibbert said he was “absolutely disgusted – beyond words” to hear about the attack.

“Let’s call this what it is: a catastrophic failure of your duty to protect prison staff and the public from an unrepentant terrorist,” he wrote in the letter posted on social media.

“Not only was Abedi allowed the freedom to move around and use facilities that should never be available to someone like him – he was able to track and target three prison guards using boiling oil and homemade weapons.”

Mr Hibbert suffered life-changing injuries at the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017 where he was left with a spinal cord injury. His daughter Eve suffered severe brain damage in the attack, which killed 22 people.

“I was told justice would be served. What I see now is not justice. It’s a shameful lack of accountability and basic prison security” said Mr Hibbert. I’m not just angry. I’m broken by this. And I am furious that the pain of survivors like me is being so blatantly disrespected by your inaction.”

He called for Abedi to be stripped of access to any areas where he could make or find weapons.

“This cannot continue. Something drastic needs to be done. Not tomorrow. Not next month. Now,” he wrote. “Because right now, it feels like you’ve forgotten us.”

His comments come after families of five of the victims – Megan Hurley, Eilidh Macleod, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Curry, and Kelly Brewster – wrote to the Justice Secretary expressing “absolute disbelief” at the attack, the BBC reported.

The broadcaster said it had seen the letter, which read: “In our view, he should not be allowed any privileges whatsoever while serving a sentence for the deaths of 22 innocent lives and the injuring of many more. He should not have access to anything that he can weaponise, such as hot oil or items he can turn into blades.”

The families have called for Abedi to be put in permanent solitary confinement.