UK researchers: Possible new wave of homegrown terrorism in Britain fueled by ex-prisoners

UK researchers: Prisons breeding new terrorists

LONDON — British researchers say the U.K. could face a new wave of threats from homegrown terrorists as extremists jailed in recent years are freed.

The Royal United Services Institute said in a paper published Friday that criminals who’ve shared cells with jailed terrorists may also pose a risk if they’ve embraced radical ideologies.

Michael Clarke, director of RUSI, claimed that one in 10 Muslim prisoners in high-security jails had been “successfully targeted” by jihadists.

Britain’s justice ministry said there were few Muslim prisoners being held in high-security prisons, and denied there is a major problem with the radicalization of inmates.

It said an expert unit works to make sure offenders don’t attempt to improperly influence other inmates.