EXCLUSIVEInside the 血-soaked 刑務所,拘置所 wars between イスラム教徒 and white ギャング(団)s: I've seen toothbrushes turned into knives and am haunted by the 叫び声をあげるs of 犠牲者s who had sugar and boiling water thrown in their 直面する
One of my most memorable 遭遇(する)s as a former jailbird was with 'Ali', a 悪名高い ギャング(個々) whom I met days after he was 解放(する)d from a high 安全 刑務所,拘置所.
He'd just 完全にするd several long 宣告,判決s for 小火器 offences and serious 暴力/激しさ. We'd become connected through a 相互の friend who was one of Ali's 隣人s in HMP Belmarsh ― home to the UK's most 悪名高い and dangerous 犯罪のs.
'Chris, mate,' the friend wrote. 'I 設立する someone you gotta talk to. He's the brother of one of the Beatles.'
I'm a keen music fan and wrote 支援する asking whether it was the sibling of John, Paul, Ringo or George. 'Not those Beatles,' (機の)カム the reply.
![Prison guards break up a fight between inmates in a scene from BBC drama Time starring?Sean Bean](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/23/19/84000725-13341707-image-a-18_1713898116696.jpg)
刑務所,拘置所 guards break up a fight between inmates in a scene from BBC 演劇 Time starring?Sean Bean
It turned out that Ali was the brother of one of the four British 極端論者s who had joined Isis and taken part in horrific テロリスト 罪,犯罪s in Syria and Iraq between 2012 and 2018.
The Beatles we're talking about were 伴う/関わるd in the kidnapping of 27 people and were given the 愛称 because of their English accents. They were a monstrous quartet who 軍隊d their 人質s to 行う/開催する/段階 mock 死刑執行s and fight one another. They also (警官の)巡回区域,受持ち区域 them, 電気椅子で死刑にするd them with Tasers and placed them in chokeholds until they passed out.
Ali's brother was 伴う/関わるd in the 殺人s ― by beheading ― of American 新聞記者/雑誌記者s James Foley and Steven Sotloff, 同様に as the 殺人,大当り of 援助(する) 労働者s Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. He was 逮捕(する)d and (国外逃亡犯を)引き渡すd to the US in 2020, where he was 罪人/有罪を宣告するd of four 殺人s and given a whole life 宣告,判決.
Ali, too, might have spent the 残り/休憩(する) of his life behind 妨げる/法廷,弁護士業s. He was ひどく 伴う/関わるd in West London street ギャング(団)s, and was 罪人/有罪を宣告するd in 2010 of 所有/入手 of a firearm with 意図 to 危うくする life.
![When I was serving in Wandsworth (pictured) I saw the aftermath of several juggings, and the screams of the victims will haunt me for ever, says Chris](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/23/19/84000727-13341707-image-a-19_1713898120754.jpg)
When I was serving in Wandsworth (pictured) I saw the 影響 of several juggings, and the 叫び声をあげるs of the 犠牲者s will haunt me for ever, says Chris?
He was made a 部類 A 囚人 ― the highest level of 安全 ― and sent to some of the toughest 刑務所,拘置所s in the country, 含むing Belmarsh, Frankland and Whitemoor.
'I've still got PTSD from my years in there,' he 認める. 'There's two ways to do your time: turn into a kiss-ass and become part of the very thing you hate, or fight the system and 許す it to destroy you. I chose the second, and spent all my time fighting, 得点する/非難する/20ing, running 麻薬 罪,犯罪s inside the 刑務所,拘置所. I 原因(となる)d a lot of 血 to be 流出/こぼすd and had 復讐 attacks on myself. I nearly died several times.'
Why am I telling you all this? Because the next path Ali chose in 刑務所,拘置所 was to 変える to Islam and then join a イスラム教徒 ギャング(団).
And earlier this month, a 上級の 政府 助言者 on テロ行為 警告するd that dangerous Islamist ギャング(団)s have become a serious problem in Britain's 刑務所,拘置所s after a 抱擁する 増加する in the number of イスラム教徒 inmates. Jonathan Hall KC, the 政府's 独立した・無所属 reviewer of テロ行為 法律制定, 述べるd how 罪人/有罪を宣告するd Islamist テロリストs use ギャング(団)s to pressurise other inmates into 変えるing and いつかs even to 掴む 支配(する)/統制する of 刑務所,拘置所 wings, 課すing Sharia 法律 on 囚人s, 含むing having them flogged.
![Captured British Islamic State (IS) group fighters El Shafee el-Sheikh, left, and Alexanda Kotey](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/23/21/84000729-13341707-Captured_Br
itish_Islamic_State_IS_group_fighters_El_Shafee_el_Sh-m-9_1713903728871.jpg)
逮捕(する)d British Islamic 明言する/公表する (IS) group 闘士,戦闘機s El Shafee el-Sheikh, left, and Alexanda Kotey?
?一方/合間, 省 of 司法(官) 人物/姿/数字s recently 明らかにする/漏らすd there were 15,584 イスラム教徒 囚人s in England and むちの跡s last September, compared with just 3,681 in 1997. The 人物/姿/数字s 公表する/暴露する that 18 per cent of all inmates now identify as イスラム教徒 ― nearly three times the 6.5 per cent in the general UK 全住民.
And, as Mr Hall said: 'There is an 必然的な 圧力 in 刑務所,拘置所s for people to join a group. If the 現在の flavour is イスラム教徒, it could lead to them joining.
'If you have an 首長 at the 最高の,を越す of a 刑務所,拘置所 ギャング(団) who is a テロリスト 違反者/犯罪者 or 堅固に radicalised, then the 危険 of people joining this group, even just for 保護, could result in them 存在 radicalised.'
But 支援する to Ali. He was happy to talk to me for my 調書をとる/予約する about life as a 囚人: Time After Time because I am also an ex-反対/詐欺 ― I got five years for 税金 詐欺 in 2016.
囚人s are a cagey bunch but my past has given me unique 接近 to the 犯罪の 暗黒街. Ironically, he told me he decided to 変える to Islam ーするために lead a better life.
His family was 宗教的な and he felt it was time to turn away from 罪,犯罪. But the 決定/判定勝ち(する) changed everything. His 安全 level by that 行う/開催する/段階 had dropped 負かす/撃墜する to 部類 C. After he 変えるd, he said, 'everyone started getting worried. They thought I was going to turn into a 自殺 爆撃機. They sent me 権利 支援する up to A- Cat and into the dispersal 回路・連盟 ― that's when it got really bad.'
The dispersal system is a (犯罪の)一味 of ten of the most 安全な・保証する 刑務所,拘置所s in the UK, where テロリストs and 殺害者s are moved 一連の会議、交渉/完成する 絶えず to stop them forming 関係s with each other and fomenting trouble. The problem is that system doesn't work.
Ali had already spent several years inside and developed beefs with 高度に dangerous inmates who were spread throughout the dispersal 回路・連盟.
He was now 直面するd with a stark choice: either struggle on his own and 直面する 残虐な 暴力/激しさ or even death when he 遭遇(する)d his enemies; or join a ギャング(団) of 極端論者 イスラム教徒s for 保護. He chose the latter and was 急落(する),激減(する)d into a turf war between Islamist 囚人s and a white supremacist ギャング(団) called the Piranhas.
'The Piranhas were hardcore anti-イスラム教徒 types,' he said. 'They were fighting this long-running war with the extreme イスラム教徒s, and it was going on out of sight across the dispersal system.
'If the screws moved someone to another 刑務所,拘置所, the other 味方する would know before they got there as everyone has 動きやすい phones.'
![Prison guard behind a locked gate?at HMP Pentonville, Islington, north London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/23/21/84004227-13341707-image-a-30_1713903350629.jpg)
![Prison guard behind a locked gate?at HMP Pentonville, Islington, north London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/23/21/84004227-13341707-image-a-30_1713903350629.jpg)
刑務所,拘置所 guard behind a locked gate?at HMP Pentonville, Islington, north London
The fighting was horrific, as warring inmates would improvise with whatever the 刑務所,拘置所 service 供給するd. A popular 手段 was 'jugging' ― boiling a kettle and mixing in sugar so it would stick to the 肌 when it was thrown in someone's 直面する and 永久的に scar them.
When I was serving in Wandsworth I saw the 影響 of several juggings, and the 叫び声をあげるs of the 犠牲者s will haunt me for ever. Another technique was to fashion a 一時しのぎの物,策 knife by 挿入するing two かみそり blades into a toothbrush. The 二塁打 blade would (打撃,刑罰などを)与える a pair of 深い slits that were impossible to sew up.
If inmates felt such an attack was 切迫した they'd wear several 層s of 着せる/賦与するing to 保護する themselves, and I remember seeing 囚人s sweating profusely in the 演習 yard on a boiling hot summer's day as they were wearing three coats.
To 打ち勝つ this defence their 攻撃者s would use a 'dipper' ― a sharpened thin blade a foot long that could be 挿入するd and 除去するd leaving barely a 示す.
Overstretched 刑務所,拘置所 officers were rarely able to stop this heinous 暴力/激しさ, so terrified inmates would join 極端論者 ギャング(団)s for 保護. But once they were 調印するd up they could soon be sucked into something far more 悪意のある.
Another 接触する from my time inside, Steve Gallant, knows more than most about the dangers of radicalisation in 刑務所,拘置所s. Steve had bravely 直面するd the 極端論者 Usman 旅宿泊所 on London 橋(渡しをする) in November 2019 after 旅宿泊所 had carried out a lethal knife attack 殺人,大当り Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones.
Steve led several other bystanders who memorably 取り組むd the テロリスト with a 解雇する/砲火/射撃 extinguisher and a narwhal tusk before the police 発射 旅宿泊所 dead, and their heroic 活動/戦闘s undoubtedly saved その上の loss of life.
But what makes Steve's story even more remarkable is that he was himself 罪人/有罪を宣告するd of 殺人 and at the time was serving a life 宣告,判決 for 殺人,大当り 船体 firefighter Barrie Jackson. Steve had been inside for 14 years and had just been 許すd out on day 解放(する) to …に出席する a 囚人 rehabilitation 会議/協議会 at Fishmongers' Hall, where 旅宿泊所 began his deadly attack.
Steve has written about his remarkable 旅行 in his 調書をとる/予約する The Road To London 橋(渡しをする) and believes 刑務所,拘置所 radicalisation started to 増加する 徹底的に as far 支援する as 2005.
'The July 7 爆破s had just happened when I first went inside,' he said. 'Suddenly everyone was worked up about what 極端論者s were 有能な of. We had a イスラム教徒 guy come on to our wing who was 伴う/関わるd in the failed Shepherd's Bush attack on July 21 [one of four 試みる/企てるd 爆破s on London's 輸送(する) 網状組織 in 2005].
'There were all these white northern ギャング(個々)s, some of whom had done 平等に terrible things, who 手配中の,お尋ね者 to take 復讐 on him.
'Someone 始める,決める his 独房 on 解雇する/砲火/射撃, but then some other イスラム教徒s 報復するd with a stabbing. It all spiralled from there.' By this time Steve had decided to 拒絶する 暴力/激しさ, but he couldn't hide from the 爆発するing turf war on his wing. 'This tit-for-tat kept 増大するing. It started to suck in イスラム教徒s who weren't テロリストs but were 自然に (v)提携させる(n)支部,加入者d with one 味方する and so they ended up getting radicalised.
'It wasn't 分裂(する) along racial lines, as there were white guys in the イスラム教徒 ギャング(団) and 副/悪徳行為 versa. The white イスラム教徒 変えるs were often the worst. '
As with street ギャング(団)s, these 宗教的な groups would ensnare 攻撃を受けやすい young minds who were susceptible to 開発/利用. Steve explained: 'They'd 的 kids who weren't the 十分な shilling. Get them comfortable at first, and then the next thing they're knifing up a bloke in the にわか雨s.'
This is something I saw first- 手渡す in HMP Wandsworth. Staffing 削減(する)s meant that most 囚人s were stuck in their 独房s, and inmates would do anything to get out and socialise.
Some イスラム教徒s even 調印するd up to アル中患者s 匿名の/不明の just to spend some time with their mates, にもかかわらず 存在 完全に teetotal. Friday 祈りs were 完全に oversubscribed, and I'd see young impressionable inmates coming 支援する to the wings with some pretty 恐ろしい 見解(をとる)s.
Much of this radicalisation takes place under the 当局' レーダ. A 孤独な 発言する/表明する who's been 警告 about this for years is Ian Acheson, who was 長,率いる of 安全 at HMP Wandsworth.
'We had a stream of violent young men flowing into the system who were credulous, impulsive and 直面するing a long time in 保護/拘留,' he said. 'And so they become 平易な pickings for the 極端論者s who 申し込む/申し出d them 保護 and meaning ― as long as you join our ギャング(団). They'll help you 変える to Islam in 15 minutes, and then you become their frontline muscle.'
Ian saw a lot of overlap with street ギャング(団)s, whose members flood the wings of London 刑務所,拘置所s such as Wandsworth.
'The 力/強力にする structure is the same in these new イスラム教徒 ギャング(団)s. You have the charismatic brains at the 最高の,を越す orchestrating 暴力/激しさ, and the young foot 兵士s at the 底(に届く) who do the dirty work.'
Ian has long (選挙などの)運動をするd to change the 政府's mindset on radicalisation, but he believes that the system has been in 否定 for years. 'There has been enormous naivete from 公式の/役人s who have been 完全に blind to the growing 規模 of the problem.'
One 推論する/理由 violent extremism has spread throughout 刑務所,拘置所s is an 公式の/役人 恐れる of appearing Islamophobic. 'The system has been 手足を不自由にする/(物事を)損なうd by institutional timidity. I remember once visiting HMP Woodhill [a 部類 A 刑務所,拘置所 近づく Milton Keynes] and watching the staff searching all 囚人s going の上に yard.
'A イスラム教徒 inmate approached wearing long flowing 式服s and was 許すd through 邪魔されない. I was told that it was 宗教的な 着せる/賦与するing so he couldn't be searched. This struck me as insane ― he could have had a Kalashnikov hidden in there.'
There's no 疑問 that 人種差別主義 is hugely 流布している in British 刑務所,拘置所s, something I saw on a daily basis in Wandsworth. Young 黒人/ボイコット men are far more likely to 直面する worse 条件s, を煩う mental health problems and be the 犠牲者s of 暴力/激しさ.
But rather than 演説(する)/住所 the 構造上の 原因(となる)s of this 差別, the 当局 far too often 乗る,着手する on meaningless 記念品 演習s that can backfire.
'The 恐れる of 差別的な behaviour is 偉業/利用するd by the 囚人s who look for any way to 土台を崩す the system,' 収容する/認めるs Ian, author of the 調書をとる/予約する Screwed: Britain's 刑務所,拘置所 危機 And How To Escape It. 'I've heard of sex 違反者/犯罪者s 変えるing to Islam as a way to infiltrate the normal 刑務所,拘置所 全住民.'
The public might think this doesn't 影響する/感情 them as it's out of sight and out of mind. But this is 簡単に burying our 長,率いるs in the sand, as radicalised 囚人s go on to commit テロリスト 残虐(行為)s in the outside world.
Usman 旅宿泊所, whom Steve 取り組むd on London 橋(渡しをする), had 以前 spent several years in 刑務所,拘置所 for terror offences and tricked the 当局 into believing he was rehabilitated.
The 検死s into the London 橋(渡しをする) deaths 設立する that 旅宿泊所 had been an ' 影響力のある' テロリスト 囚人 who was 伴う/関わるd in '極端論者 いじめ(る)ing'.
Ali spent time with 旅宿泊所 in HMP Whitemoor and 設立する him intensely creepy. 'Usman was a nutter, he hated people laughing,' he 解任するd. 'After the Manchester 円形競技場 爆破 in 2017 he was celebrating, 説 we should be getting organised, planning more attacks.
'But one day everything changed. Usman... started doing rehab courses, 説 that 宗教上の war was wrong and a perversion of Islam. He got a lot of grief from the others, who said he'd gone soft. What they didn't know is he was playing a long game.'
As part of this long game, 旅宿泊所 went on an impressive-sounding rehabilitation course for 極端論者s ― The Healthy 身元 介入 programme. He passed the course with 飛行機で行くing colours and was subsequently 解放(する)d into the community.
'When London 橋(渡しをする) went 負かす/撃墜する, everyone realised that he'd used the system to do what he did,' Ali explained. 'There was big 尊敬(する)・点 from some of the others, who said that they would copy the same trick.'
Ali has now turned his 支援する on 罪,犯罪 and extremism and is living a 法律-がまんするing life. But he's forever living in the 影をつくる/尾行する of his younger 'Beatles' brother who was also 誘惑するd by 極端論者s and never turned 支援する. A brother who started dabbling in street 罪,犯罪 in West London before joining Isis and becoming fully radicalised.
'麻薬 ギャング(団)s and テロ行為 are the two 味方するs of the same coin,' said Ali, 'It looks like a way out but it leads to the same hell.'
CHRIS ATKINS is the author of Time After Time, Repeat 違反者/犯罪者s ― The Inside Stories?