A confessed terrorist mastermind could soon roam Britain’s streets, free despite a chilling history of plotting mass murder. Haroon Aswat, 50, is set to be released from a secure hospital in Bromley, south east London, within days, as the Daily Mail reports. This isn’t just another parole case -- it’s a national security gamble.
Aswat, who admitted orchestrating the 9/11 attacks and the 7/7 London bombings, has been detained since his 2022 deportation from the U.S., where he served time for attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon. The 9/11 attacks in 2001 killed over 3,000 people, while the 7/7 bombings in 2005 claimed 52 lives on London’s trains and buses. His release raises serious questions about Britain’s ability to neutralize known threats.
Born in Yorkshire and later radicalized in north London under hate preacher Abu Hamza, Aswat’s descent into extremism began early. By 1999, he was in Seattle, organizing a terror camp for Hamza. His trajectory only grew darker from there.
Aswat’s radicalization took him to al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan just months before 9/11. His name later appeared on a ledger in a Pakistan house alongside Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the 9/11 architect. Clearly, this wasn’t a man on the fringes of terror networks.
In 2002, Aswat met two 7/7 bombers, Mohammed Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, in Pakistan. Police later traced 20 calls from the bombers to a phone tied to Aswat. That’s not a coincidence -- it’s coordination.
Aswat didn’t just talk the talk; he walked it. He possessed a terror manual and alleged bomb materials, cementing his role as an al-Qaeda foot soldier. His own words in 2017, “I’m a terrorist,” leave little room for doubt.
In 2017, Aswat bragged to American prison staff about masterminding 9/11 and the 7/7 attacks, saying, “I don’t shy away from my responsibility.” Such brazen admissions should lock doors, not open them. Yet, a psychiatrist claims his treatment at Bethlem Royal Hospital has been “effective.”
Effective? In 2022, Aswat sent letters laced with terrorist ideology and death threats. Dr. Richard Taylor’s report that year flagged him as a public risk, citing 15 of 22 extremist risk factors and diagnosing schizoaffective disorder with unpredictable aggression.
Taylor also noted Aswat’s charisma, intelligence, and manipulative nature -- traits that amplify his danger. “There remains the risk of Islamic violent extremism,” Taylor warned, highlighting threats to kill Jews, Christians, and certain Muslims. This isn’t rehabilitation; it’s a ticking time bomb.
Despite no formal risk assessment since his 2022 return, police officers like Det. Chief Supt. Gareth Rees deem Aswat a “grave” national security threat. Rees’s concern, based on Aswat’s ongoing extremist behavior, should carry weight. Why, then, is release even on the table?
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick didn’t mince words: “He should never experience freedom again.” Jenrick’s stance reflects what many Britons likely feel -- outrage at the prospect of a terrorist walking free. The government’s promise to prioritize national security feels hollow here.
A notification order will require Aswat to report his address, travel, and vehicle details upon release. That’s a flimsy leash for someone with his track record. Monitoring alone won’t undo the damage he is capable of inflicting.
Mr Justice Robert Jay called Aswat’s offenses “very serious” and noted “evidence of ongoing risk.” Yet, Jay also admitted that assessing Aswat’s threat is “inherently uncertain” due to his mental instability. If the risk is uncertain, why rush to release?
Jay acknowledged that police, including senior officers, view Aswat as a continued danger to the U.K. “The defendant has been assessed… as a risk to national security,” Jay stated. That’s not a green light for freedom -- it’s a red flag.
A government spokesman insisted that protecting national security is the top priority, promising “whatever is necessary” to counter threats. Fine words, but letting Aswat return to his family in Yorkshire hardly screams decisive action. The public deserves better than bureaucratic platitudes.
