A terrorist connected to the 2005 London 7/7 bombings has been released from a secure psychiatric hospital, even though authorities continue to view him as a significant threat to national security.

Haroon Aswat, a 50-year-old man originally from Yorkshire, was freed from the Bethlem Royal Hospital (also known as Bedlam) in Bromley, South London, following a High Court ruling last year. He has since been transferred to another institution after completing treatment.

Background on Aswat

• Aswat was jailed in the US in 2015 for 20 years after being convicted of plotting to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon. The plot was linked to notorious hate preacher Abu Hamza.
• His sentence was later reduced to seven years (partly due to prior time spent in Broadmoor Hospital), and he was deported back to the UK in 2022.
• He has long been linked to the 7/7 attacks. In 2005, police traced 20 phone calls made by the suicide bombers to a phone associated with Aswat in the hours leading up to the attacks that killed 52 people and injured hundreds.

Mental Health and Ongoing Concerns

Aswat has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a condition that can involve unpredictable and aggressive behaviour. According to reports, even when in a relatively stable mental state, he has continued to express violent extremist Islamic ideology.

Despite these concerns, police still consider him a danger to the public and national security. The Home Office has stated that “appropriate measures” have been put in place to protect the public.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39655956/terrorist-7-7-attack-released-despite-danger-warnings/