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The Story

Extremism in our prisons

The Story

The Times

Investigative Reporting, Daily News, Current Affairs, Uk News, News, Politics, Global News, News Analysis, In-depth Journalism, Long-form Audio, Audio Storytelling, Exclusive Interviews, Daily News Podcast

3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2020

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A series of attacks by Islamists released from jail highlights the failure to turn them away from extremism. Today: the story of one inmate we know only as 'Jack' and how he was radicalised in a UK prison.


This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.


Guest: 

Sean O’Neill, chief reporter for The Times.


Host: David Aaronovitch.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

This is a passenger announcement. You can now book your train on Uber and get 10% back in credits to spend on Uber eats.

0:11.0

So you can order your own fries instead of eating everyone else's.

0:15.0

Trains, now on Uber. T's and C's apply. Check the Uber app. Inside Britain's often decaying prison system, languish an increasing number of Muslim inmates.

0:32.8

Prisoners were converting because Islam was seen as like the underdog religion,

0:37.7

the fashionable radical outsider gang.

0:40.9

And when they're in jail, they can be easy targets for Islamist extremists who follow

0:45.8

a distorted form of the religion.

0:51.2

Several prisoners had converted under immense physical and psychological pressure who feared being seen to eat a bacon sandwich.

0:59.0

He said if you eat a bacon sandwich you'll get beaten up.

1:02.0

You're listening to stories of our times from the Times and the

1:05.0

times and the Sunday Times.

1:07.0

I'm David Aronovich.

1:08.7

Today, from jail to jihad, nearly. The story of one inmate we know only as Jack and how he was

1:16.8

radicalised inside a UK prison. Earlier this month a terrorist inmate who wore a fake suicide vest and used a makeshift knife to stab a prison officer repeatedly was convicted of attempted murder at the old Bailey

1:35.3

and sentenced to 21 years in prison.

1:38.8

Rastram Ziamani was already serving a lengthy sentence for plotting to behead a soldier in 2015.

1:47.0

The attack has raised questions over the radicalization of inmates while in prison. In today's episode we'll take you inside the world of

1:55.7

radicalised prisoners through the eyes of another former inmate we're calling

1:59.8

Jack. What happens in 2016 is Jack is what happens in 2016 is

2:03.0

Jack is transferred to Woodhill Prison near Milton Keynes.

2:07.0

Sean O'Neill is the Times Chief Reporter

2:10.0

and has been following Jack's story for several months.

...

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