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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Terrorism convict released early | Terrorism convict released early |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A man convicted of a terrorism offence has been released 17 days early under the scheme to reduce jail overcrowding, the government has confirmed. | A man convicted of a terrorism offence has been released 17 days early under the scheme to reduce jail overcrowding, the government has confirmed. |
| Yassin Nassari left Wakefield Prison on 11 February 2008, after being jailed last summer for three and a half years. | Yassin Nassari left Wakefield Prison on 11 February 2008, after being jailed last summer for three and a half years. |
| He was arrested in May 2006 at Luton Airport carrying what police said were blueprints for a rocket in his luggage. | He was arrested in May 2006 at Luton Airport carrying what police said were blueprints for a rocket in his luggage. |
| The Ministry of Justice said Nassari had met the release criteria because he was not guilty of serious violence. | The Ministry of Justice said Nassari had met the release criteria because he was not guilty of serious violence. |
| Under the terms of the government's early release scheme, prisoners are eligible to leave prison 18 days earlier than normally expected, if they had been jailed for less than four years and not committed a serious violent offence. | Under the terms of the government's early release scheme, prisoners are eligible to leave prison 18 days earlier than normally expected, if they had been jailed for less than four years and not committed a serious violent offence. |
| Nassari, 28, from Ealing in west London, was convicted in July 2007 of having articles of use to terrorists. | Nassari, 28, from Ealing in west London, was convicted in July 2007 of having articles of use to terrorists. |
| Nassari had blueprints for a home-made steel rocket | Nassari had blueprints for a home-made steel rocket |
| Scotland Yard detectives had arrested him at Luton Airport after he arrived on a flight from Amsterdam. They found a computer hard-drive in his luggage including documents about martyrdom and weapons training. | Scotland Yard detectives had arrested him at Luton Airport after he arrived on a flight from Amsterdam. They found a computer hard-drive in his luggage including documents about martyrdom and weapons training. |
| They also found a blueprint for a home-made Qassam rocket, used by Palestinian militants to target Israel. | They also found a blueprint for a home-made Qassam rocket, used by Palestinian militants to target Israel. |
| Experts told his trial that the blueprint was detailed enough to manufacture a rocket. | Experts told his trial that the blueprint was detailed enough to manufacture a rocket. |
| Eligible for release | Eligible for release |
| A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice confirmed that a Category A prisoner had been released from Wakefield prison because he met the criteria for early release. | A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice confirmed that a Category A prisoner had been released from Wakefield prison because he met the criteria for early release. |
| Nassari would have been eligible for release 18 days later, having served enough of his sentence to be considered for parole. | Nassari would have been eligible for release 18 days later, having served enough of his sentence to be considered for parole. |
| "In line with normal practice concerning prisoners released on ECL, the Prison Service made arrangements with the relevant police and probation services to ensure that they were aware of his release," the spokeswoman said. | "In line with normal practice concerning prisoners released on ECL, the Prison Service made arrangements with the relevant police and probation services to ensure that they were aware of his release," the spokeswoman said. |
| "This individual is subject to licence conditions and multi-agency public protection arrangements." | "This individual is subject to licence conditions and multi-agency public protection arrangements." |
| The spokeswoman said that early release was not available to people convicted of terrorism offences including serious violence, such as use of explosives to cause grievous bodily harm or conspiracy to hijack. | The spokeswoman said that early release was not available to people convicted of terrorism offences including serious violence, such as use of explosives to cause grievous bodily harm or conspiracy to hijack. |
| She said there were currently no plans to alter the rule to ban the early release of anybody convicted of an offence under terrorism legislation. | She said there were currently no plans to alter the rule to ban the early release of anybody convicted of an offence under terrorism legislation. |
| "[Release] is only available to prisoners whose offences are not considered serious enough by the court to justify a long term of imprisonment," she said. | "[Release] is only available to prisoners whose offences are not considered serious enough by the court to justify a long term of imprisonment," she said. |
| "Therefore only those serving less than four years are eligible for ECL." | "Therefore only those serving less than four years are eligible for ECL." |