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3/29/2024
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Outrage over £1million legal aid bill for TERROR suspects
Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed is still at large after being linked with Al-Shabaab
By Caroline Wheeler
Sunday, December 21, 2014
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Ministry of Justice figures show over the past three years £1.1million was paid out to cover legal bills for suspects who were subject to Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures.
A “Tpim”, which replaced control orders in 2012, includes restrictions on movement, financial activity and communication.
The Home Secretary can order a Tpim on a suspect after an MI5 assessment “reasonably believes” he or she is involved in terrorist-related activities.
It has so far been used to monitor 10 suspects, with each claiming on average £100,000 in legal aid.
The scheme helps people who are unable to afford a lawyer and access to the court system.
One of the most notorious cases involved a terrorist suspect who absconded after changing into a burkha at a London mosque.
Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, whose current whereabouts is unknown, was granted legal aid in January – while still at large – so that he could fight an order, which restricted his movements.
The 27-year-old, who went missing in November last year, was linked to the Somali militant group al-Shabab.
At the time Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the case was “absurd”.
In May, Mohamed’s lawyer’s won a ruling that both he and another terror suspect, known as CF, could have their control orders quashed.
They argued that it was unfair that when the orders were originally implemented they were not fully told the reasons why.
The Court of Appeal ruled the men should have been told of the allegations against them.
Mohamed is believed to be out of the country and no fresh measures against him have been applied for. Last night Conservative MP Nick de Bois, who sits on the Justice Committee, condemned the legal aid payouts.
He told the Sunday Express: “The high cost of legal aid for each suspect means the taxpayer is not protected from a whopping big bill.”
Justice Minister Shailesh Vara issued details about the money paid out to Tpim suspects following a Parliamentary question by Labour’s shadow home office minister Diana Johnson.
He said: “The Legal Aid Agency rigorously assesses all applications.”
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