'Arm jail staff to stop the Islamist attacks'

PRISON officers should be armed with Tasers, stun grenades and baton rounds to prevent their kidnap or murder by Islamic terrorists, says Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick after an officer was stabbed with a knife believed to have been flown by drone into a jail.

- By David Williamson

The former Tory leadership contender wants “secure armouries” holding “lethal weapons” installed at maximum security prisons to be used as a last resort to tackle violent inmates, including far-right extremists.

Mr Jenrick said the UK Government must “take back control” of jails from “Islamist gangs and violent prisoners” amid fears drones will be used to drop guns and explosives for inmates to use against guards and rival gangs.

The 25-year-old officer stabbed in the stomach at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire on Friday morning was airlifted to

'Risk prison officer is kidnapped or murdered'

hospital for emergency surgery after the attack.

The Prison Officers' Association wants terrorists to be put in “supermax” facilities and demands urgent action “before a prison officer is murdered on duty”.

Police do not consider the most recent attack a terrorist incident but Mr Jenrick has called for “highly trained teams” to be armed to tackle the threat – with his plan based on recommendations from counter-terrorism expert Professor Ian Acheson, a former prison governor who is part of a “rapid review” commissioned by the Tories into the violence.