AN East Lancashire terrorist could be freed from prison within months, despite being jailed for five years last week.

Prison bosses confirmed that Ishaq Kanmi has already served almost two years on remand awaiting sentence and is set to be released early next year.


Surveillance footage of Kanmi in Blackburn Library

Kanmi, like all prisoners, is able to be freed at the halfway stage of his sentence for good behaviour and bosses at the Ministry of Justice said that at this stage he would be released in February.

Queen's Park councillor Salim Mulla said Kanmi would be shunned if he returned to his home community of Audley.

He said: “His family have moved from the area because of the shame they feel at their son’s actions.

"If he came back here he would not be welcomed. He should never have become involved in terrorism.”

At court last week Kanmi, 24, of Cromwell Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to a total of seven terrorism offences.

He was described as being at the heart of a ‘network of radicalised’ terrorists in Blackburn and posed as the head of al-Qaeda in the UK, calling for the deaths of Gordon Brown and Tony Blair in internet forums.

He contributed to a number of pro-Jihadist sites, posting increasingly hostile messages calling for targeted murders and large attacks.

Officers began a surveillance operation and Kanmi was repeatedly observed going into Blackburn Library and posting messages on the internet.

A spokesman for the MoJ said: “The Criminal Justice Act 2003 provides for the automatic release of prisoners at the halfway point, with probation supervision for those serving 12 months or more until the end of sentence.

"Offenders who are released from prison on licence are risk assessed, monitored and supervised by the Probation Service and Police in the community, and can be recalled to custody if they breach their licence conditions.

"Through Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), agencies strive to minimise the risk posed by offenders through continuous assessment and management."