David Amess (Image: UK PARLIAMENT/AFP via Getty Imag)
Ali Harbi Ali was exited from the Prevent counter-terrorism programme “too quickly”, a review into his case has found.
A review also highlighted Prevent assessments were “problematic”, security minister Dan Jarvis has told MPs.
Ali Harbi Ali had been referred to Prevent seven years on October 15 2021, but his case was closed in 2016.
The Government promised to publish the Prevent Learning Review after the report into Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s handling by the programme was published last week.
Mr Jarvis told MPs on Wednesday of Ali’s case: “The reviewer found that from the material reviewed, the assessment in terms of the perpetrator’s vulnerabilities was problematic, and this ultimately led to questionable decision making and sub-optimal handling of the case during the time he was engaged with Prevent and Channel.
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Sir David was posthumously given a statue in Southend (Image: PA )
“The reviewer ultimately found that while Prevent policy and guidance at the time was mostly followed, the case was exited from Prevent too quickly.”
Security minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons: “The reviewer found that from the material reviewed, the assessment in terms of the perpetrator’s vulnerabilities was problematic, and this ultimately led to questionable decision making and sub-optimal handling of the case during the time he was engaged with Prevent and Channel.
“It identified that the vulnerability assessment framework was not followed with the perpetrator’s symptoms being prioritised over addressing the underlying causes of his vulnerabilities.
“The reviewer ultimately found that while Prevent policy and guidance at the time was mostly followed, the case was exited from Prevent too quickly.”
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The Home Secretary has requested to be kept updated on an investigation into a complaint made by Sir David Amess’s family on Essex Police’s handling of the case, Dan Jarvis told the Commons.
The Home Office minister said: “Concerns have been raised by the Amess family about the way in which Essex Police handled this case. A complaint has been made and referred back to the local force by the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) for consideration.
“That process must be allowed to follow its course. However, I can inform the House that the Home Secretary has written to the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner of Essex Police, asking them to set out how the investigation will be conducted and to be kept updated as the investigation progresses.”