The UK government firmly insists that escaped terror suspect Mohamed Salah Al-Ansari will be caught following his unusual break from a high-security prison.
The incident occurred when Al-Ansari, who had been convicted in 2015 for involvement in terrorism financing, escaped a north London jail reportedly using an “elaborate network of helpers, a drone, and a directional-finding device”.
According to reports, Al-Ansari was able to evade security by scrambling the prison’s signal system to conceal his movements. The UK Home Office have since launched a manhunt for his capture, warning that he “poses a serious risk to the public” and should not be approached.
Al-Ansari’s escape has raised questions about the effectiveness of prison security, with many commentators noting that the incident was one of the rarest jail breaks in recent memory.
In a statement, the government stressed that there would be “zero tolerance” for anyone attempting to hide Al-Ansari or offer assistance in his evasion of justice, and that a full investigation into the circumstances of the escape was underway.
They also pledged to “do all we can to ensure he is brought to justice as soon as possible, and to take action to review security at our prisons and prevent anything similar from happening again.”
