Fury at freedom for terrorist who radicalised Manchester bomber

Robert Jenrick has called for the Justice Secretary to step in after a terrorist who played an 'important role' in radicalising Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi was freed from prison.

Terrorist Abdalraouf Abdallah, the childhood friend of Abedi, was released from HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire on Tuesday when his sentence came to an end.

It comes two months after the Parole Board refused to free him early because he was still considered a 'high risk of serious harm to the public' and had a 'propensity to radicalise others'.

The 31-year-old was recalled to prison for breaching licence conditions in 2021 after being jailed for helping people going to Syria to join the Islamic State group.

Despite losing his latest parole bid in September, he is now eligible for automatic release from prison because his sentence - set in court by a judge - has expired.

Now, the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Jenrick, has called for the Justice Secretary to intervene.

Taking to X yesterday, MP Jenrick said: 'This is the terrorist, Abdalraouf Abdallah. He was released on Tuesday. 

'His prison officer, psychologist and parole officer said he was 'high risk', 'engaging with extremism' and intended to 'commit terrorist-related offending'. 

'The Justice Secretary must intervene.' 

The Islamic extremist played an 'important role' in Abedi's radicalisation, according to a report from the inquiry into the attack.

Abedi visited him in prison and experts believe he groomed the bomber.

But Abdallah - who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after becoming paraplegic when injured fighting in Libya during the country's 2011 uprising - has denied any involvement in the 2017 atrocity.

He was first released from prison in 2020 after being handed an extended sentence of nine-and-a-half years - including a five-and-a-half-year prison term - in 2016 when he was found guilty of preparing and funding acts of terrorism by helping four others travel to Syria.

According to a report detailing the Parole Board's decision in September, the panel accepted the inquiry's finding that Abdallah 'had played a significant role in radicalising the Manchester Arena bomber, although there was no evidence that he was involved in the attack itself or had any pre-knowledge of it'.

While in prison Abdallah took part in courses designed to tackle the motivations behind his offending 'and the beliefs which enable it', as well as taking part in rehabilitation to 'manage the risk of individuals who have been involved in extremist or terrorism-related activity'.

But his probation officer, prison officer and psychologist still did not support his release, with assessments determining he posed a 'high risk of serious harm to the public'.

Psychologists concluded Abdallah continued to 'show levels of engagement with extremism and intent to commit terrorist-related offending', the papers said.

A plan for his release presented to the panel was also deemed 'not robust enough' to manage him once he left prison as he 'retained a propensity to radicalise others' - including 'in any accommodation he is released to or any other person with whom he may come in contact' - and there was insufficient evidence to suggest there had been any change in his extremist mindset.