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13 May 2009
Statistical News Release: Statistics on terrorism arrests and outcomes in Great Britain 11 September 2001 to 31 March 2008
The first statistical bulletin is published today showing statistics on those arrested for terrorism in Great Britain and the outcome of these arrests. The statistics are produced from the administrative data collected by the National Co-ordinator of Terrorism Investigations, the Prison Service and the Home Office‘s Office of Security and Terrorism.
The report shows
- There have been 1,471 arrests since 11 September 2001. Since 2002/3 on average there have been 227 terrorism arrests per year.
- Over one third of arrests result in a charge for a criminal offence (broadly similar to the rate for all indictable offences) with a further 9% where some alternative action is taken, for example, transfer to immigration authorities.
- 23% of those arrested are charged with a terrorism related offence and 11% with a non-terrorism offence. Non-terrorism related charges include firearms offences and forgery & counterfeiting. The total of those arrested who were charged is similar to that for other criminal offences.
- Two thirds of arrestees are released quickly with 66% of those arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 detained for under two days and 46% under one day. The majority (80%) of those released without charge are detained for less than two days. 6 suspects were detained for 28 days of which 3 were charged.
- Around 60% of those charged following a terrorist arrests have been convicted of a terrorism related offence by 31 March 2008. However many trials for very serious offences have not been completed.
- 54% of suspects in terrorist trials in 2007/8 pleaded guilty.
- There were 10 life sentences in 2007/8 including 4 related to the ‘fertiliser bomb plot’ in March 2004. 43% of custodial sentences in terrorist trials were 10 years or over.
- 125 prisoners at 31 March 2008 were classified as terrorists including 8 imprisoned before 11 September 2001. One third of terrorist prisoners were on remand. 62% of terrorist prisoners were UK nationals
