Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20240713

The first victim of the London Bridge terror attack to be named is jack merritt, killed while running a prisoner rehabilitation conference to which his assailant was invited. His father paid tribute to the 25 year Old Cambridge graduate, calling him a beautiful spirit who always took the side of the underdog. His attacker, usman khan, was released from prison last year after serving eight years for islamist terrorism. Previously he told the bbc he was not an extremist. All the Community Knows me, and they will know, if you ask them, they will know, like, these labels they are putting on me, terrorist, this, that, they will know im no terrorist. Tonight, there are questions about why khan was released and how closely he was being monitored. Also on the programme rail passengers face another rise in fares as parts of the network prepare for weeks of strike action. And england and wales find out who theyll face in the euro 2020 football championships. Good evening. One of the victims of yesterdays terror attack has been named as jack merritt, a cambridge graduate who was helping coordinate a conference on prisoner rehabilitation near London Bridge. He was one of two People Killed by 28 year old usman khan, a former prisoner whod been convicted of terrorism offences, and released from prison on licence last year. Khan, whod been invited to the conference, was shot dead by police after members of the public tackled him. Heres our Home Affairs Correspondent daniel sandford. 25 years old and with the sense of adventure, jack merritt had a masters from cambridge university. His father said today he was a beautiful spiritual always took the side of the underdog. Yesterday, he was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack by a former prisoner at a conference that hed helped organise. His killer was taken on by people from the same conference, including otherformer from the same conference, including other former prisoners and by a passing policeman in civilian clothes, before being shot dead by firearms officers. The attacker, usman khan, was automatically released from prison last december, half way through a 16 year sentence for plotting to bomb the london stock exchange. 11 years ago he told the bbc he was no terrorist. I have been born and bred in england, in stoke on trent, in cobridge, and all the Community Knows me, and they will know, if you ask them, they will know, like, these labels they are putting on me, like terrorist, this, that, they will know i am no terrorist. His lawyer insisted his client had tried to access de radicalisation while in prison but had not got the right kind of help. He requested assistance with addressing some of his flawed thinking. He recognised that his extreme viole nt ideology was wrong. He wanted to correct himself, he wanted to move on. Since its release, usman khan had been helped by jack since its release, usman khan had been helped byJack Merritts Prisoner Education scheme, learning together, who had organised a computerfor him, together, who had organised a computer for him, which together, who had organised a computerfor him, which because of the conditions of his release did not have an internet connection. A Police Forensic tent marks the place where usman khan was shot dead by police. But the building where he carried out his attack is just on this side of the bridge. That was where he was attending a conference on prisoner rehabilitation, a conference at which he turned on some of those who had invited him and killed them. This picture was taken just before the attack at the conference in fishmongers hall where usman khan also stabbed a woman to death. He seriously injured three other people. All are now stable. The attacker then left the building, he ended up on London Bridge. He was pursued and detained by members of the public, as well as a British Transport Police officer who was plain clothes, before armed officers from both the city and metropolitan police arrived, confronted the attacker and shot him. The actions of the police and the public are all the more remarkable as we now know the attacker was wearing what looked like a very convincing explosive device. Thankfully, we now know that was a hoax device. Today, this address in stafford where usman khan had recently been living was being intensely searched. Detectives say at this stage there is no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved in the attack. Which leaves the burning question, how was a convicted terrorist released from jail while still dangerous . And how did he, still wearing a tag, kill two people at a meeting focused on the rehabilitation of prisoners . Daniel sandford, bbc news, London Bridge. The Prime Minister visited the scene of the attack this morning and pledged to toughen up sentences. But a row has erupted between the government and labour over why khan was given an Early Release from prison. Our Political Correspondent Jessica Parker reports. Hello, how are you doing . Visiting the scene earlier, the Prime Minister, alongside the met police chief, cressida dick, as people try to take in what has happened and understand what lessons can be learned. From borisjohnson, a call for tougher sentencing. I have said for a long time now that i think that the practice of automatic Early Release, where you cut a sentence in half and let really serious violent offenders out early, simply isnt working and i think you have had some very good evidence of how that isnt working, i am afraid, with this case. The mayor of london, sadiq khan, has said that while criminality cannot be excused, he believed police cuts under the conservative and Coalition Governments have had consequences. And the labour leader warned of understaffing in prisons as he called for a full investigation into usman khans case. Clearly, there has been a complete disaster in that lives have been lost because of his behaviour and i think there is also a question about what the Probation Service were doing, were they involved at all and whether the parole board should have been involved in deciding whether or not he should have been allowed to be released from prison in the first place. But overall, general Election Campaigning has been more muted today with the focus on the families affected and tributes to those who rushed to the scene. Our emergency services, as always, rise to the challenge, so you know, we need to make sure there is a robust response to incidents like this, that any lessons that need to be learned are learned, but at the moment i think everybodys thoughts are with everybody who has been affected. There are clearly questions that need to be asked and answers found as to how this happened and the process for that is very important. I think today, that the focus is on those who are mourning. During the 2017 general Election Campaign there were two terror attacks, at Manchester Arena and another at London Bridge. It can lead to a greater political focus on security issues, parties records and their future plans for keeping people safe. But for some, at this stage, those conversations may be for another day. Jessica parker, bbc news. It is important to say the full detail of the usman khan case are not fully known but something of a political row has broken out. Senior labourfigure political row has broken out. Senior labour figure Yvette Cooper has said that the Coalition Government had been warned about scrapping a regime of indeterminate sentences. The conservative home secretary priti patel hit back saying it was a Labour Government that had extended the system of automatic release. Politics may not be the focus today but questions will inevitably be asked about how any failings in the system asked about how any failings in the syste m ca m e asked about how any failings in the system came about. Jessica parker, many thanks. Daniel sandford is here. People will be watching this and asking how could khan have been given Early Release from prison . The answer in his case is actually quite straightforward, he was originally given a sentence of indeterminate sentence for public retention by the trialjudge which meant he would not have been able to be released unless he was assessed as no longer being a danger to the public. That was changed on appeal toa16 public. That was changed on appeal to a 16 year fixed sentence which meant he qualified for this automatic release halfway through his sentence at eight years, with conditions, and those conditions in his case meant there was a limited geographical area in which he was able to move, he was not allowed access to the internet but he was allowed to attend this conference, tragically, yesterday in london. There is a bigger question about what is to be done because lots and lots of terrorist prisoners who were arrested and convicted after nine slash 11 have been released or are due for release. What do you do to make sure the system is safer in the future, that is a big question. Politicians are starting to wrestle with it. There are those who will say they should spend much longer in prison, they should never be allowed out until they are safe to be released, Jack Merritts father said today that he would not have liked his death to have been an argument for much stricter sentences. 0k, many thanks, daniel sandford. Rail passenger groups have criticised a decision by Train Companies to increase fares by an average of 2. 7 injanuary. It means some commuters face rises of more than a hundred pounds in the cost of their season tickets. Rail firms say the extra money will pay for improvements to the network. Heres our Business Correspondent katie prescott. Christmas is coming and for commuters on South Western Railway that means almost a month of scenes like these as strikes on the line start on monday. So the news that train fares will rise again next year, above the standard rate of inflation, has not gone down well with these passengers in bristol. I think the rail service probably needs to be improved nationwide before they can think about putting up fares. Ive just come over from cambridge and it would have been cheaper for me to go to paris. Todays announcement means many commuters face an increase of more than £100 in the annual cost of getting to work. For example, a season ticket from eastbourne to london goes up £136, tipping it over the £5,000 mark. A season ticket between glasgow and edinburgh will set you back by £4,200 a year, up £116. But the Rail Industry defends the increases, saying 98 pence from every pound spent on fares goes into running the railway. At the moment were going through a record splurge on the railway network, more money is being put onto the network now than at any other time since the victorian era. So, we are replacing half of the entire nations fleet, but we are also putting money elsewhere, by adding extra services where they are really needed. Train companies and passengers say they would like to see a new, more flexible system for tickets put in place. But the future of fares and indeed the railways will be in the hands of whoever wins the election. Katie prescott, bbc news. A maltese businessman has been charged with involvement in the murder of the journalist daphne ca ruana galizia, who was killed by a car bomb two years ago. Yorgen fenech has appeared in court and denied the charges against him. The investigation into the killing has rocked the islands government, with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat under increasing pressure to resign. Now with news of the teams that england and wales will face in the euro 2020 championships, and the rest of the days sport, heres 0lly foster at the bbc sport centre. Good evening. We will start with the draw for next summers european championships. England and wales, the two home nations sure of being at euro 2020, will have some tough opponents, but it could have been a lot worse. John watson reports from bucharest. England head coach Gareth Southgate and wales manager ryan giggs arriving for tonight because my draw hoping for a favourable outcome. England face familiar foes and open the tournament against croatia, who knocked them out of the semifinals at the world cup. Scotland willjoin them if they qualify through the play offs, while the Czech Republic com plete play offs, while the Czech Republic complete group d. With the tournament staged throughout europe for the first time, england will benefit from playing all their group games at wembley, a massive advantage for Gareth Southgate as they look to replicate the run in russia last summer. We have played at least two of the teams before. For us to be playing at wembley is something very special so we are really looking forward to the tournament. Wales have drawn switzerland and turkey in their Opening Group games and face the long trip to azerbaijan, with bikers staging theirfirst long trip to azerbaijan, with bikers staging their first two games before their final staging their first two games before theirfinal group staging their first two games before their final group match with staging their first two games before theirfinal group match with italy in rome. Wales produced an equally impressive run of their own, losing to the reigning champions portugal and france three years ago. Ryan giggs all too aware success this time will rely on keeping his star players fit. You hope that when you come around to june players fit. You hope that when you come around tojune you have a Healthy Group of players to pick from. If we have got that we are a match for everyone. The tournament kicks off on jimmy 12th match for everyone. The tournament kicks off onjimmy12th with italy taking on turkey in rome. Matches will be played in 12 host cities across europe with wembley also staging the semifinals and final, which means england could play at least five matches at home if they make it that far. England head into the tournament as genuine contenders and wales will be hopeful of another strong showing after reaching the semifinals last time out. With scotla nd semifinals last time out. With scotland and Northern Ireland, it is still possible they could join them there, and there remains interest for all home nations. John watson, bbc news. There were six matches in the premier league today, 18 goals are coming up on match of the day after the news, but if you want the results, then stay right where you are. Virgil van dijk scored twice as liverpool beat brighton 2 1 at anfield. It was a nervy finish after they had their keeper sent off but with Manchester City drawing 2 2 at newcastle they have stretched their lead at the top of the table to 11 points. Its now three wins out of three for tottenham underjose mourinho. Dele alli scored twice in their 3 2 win over bournemouth. There were also wins for crystal palace, west ham and southampton. Abderdeen are still third in the scottish premiership. They beat st mirren 2 1. There were draws at hibernian and livingston. Motherwell beat stjohnstone 4 0. Celtic and rangers both have matches tomorrow. Lewis hamilton will be on pole for the final formula one race of the year, the abu dhabi grand prix. He has already secured a sixth world title, but hasnt been on pole forfour months, nine races. His Mercedes Team mate Valterri Bottas was second quickest but an engine change saw him demoted to the back of the grid. Wayne pivacs first match in charge of the Wales Rugby Union team saw them beat the barbarians 114 33 in cardiff. They scored six tries at the principality stadium, josh adams with two of them. The babas were being coached by former wales boss warren gatland, who stood down after the world cup. Englands netballers have won their series against south africa with a game to spare. The roses, who are ranked third in the world, won 59 53 in cape town to go two up with the third and final test tomorrow. Englands cricketers are in new zealand, the second test has resumed, its day three in hamilton. You can keep up to date with that on the bbc sport website as they try to level the series. Rory burns and joe root going along nicely. That is all the sport. Many thanks. It appears itappears in it appears in the report that he was released hello. This is bbc news. Lets get more on the London Bridge attack. Its emerged that usman khan had been released on licence for his involvement in planning terror attacks. Earlier i spoke to mark fenhalls, a criminal barrister and and former chair of the criminal Bar Association for his analysis of the Justice System. It appears in the report that he was released according to law and obeying his licensing conditions. It seems to me that the real problem here is that nobody sought to address his attitudes while he was in prison and the Current System we have around supervision is not providing people with the kind of support or security for the rest of us that reduces the risk of this kind of thing happening. Ok, so if we look at Risk Assessment and what takes place as part of that process, i mean really it is only a likelihood, isnt it, a probability . It is not a prediction. You could have a model prisoner who then goes on to commit a crime once he is released. What should be done about terrorist related prisoners . Well, there are already systems in place for terrorism related prisoners and in a sense that really requires perhaps thinking about who they are in prison and whether or not they are actually being de radicalised. I think those in the criminal Justice System are unimpressed with politicians who argue over the rights and the wrongs over who has done what over recent years. When in truth the absence of resources to try and de radicalised people or prevent, for example, sex offenders from reoffending in prison it is terrible how little there is that goes into trying to make sure people behave in the future when they are released. So, a quick question here, he was charged on terrorist related crimes, should he, in your opinion, should he have been released halfway through his sentence . Well, that was the law. The law passed by parliament and that created the set of rules that meant automatic release was to take place. Parliament can look again at the laws if it likes, but it does so repeatedly. Over the last ten or 15 years, parliament continually changes the laws and ramps up the sentences in every regard, but what it does not do is put the money into the system to make sure that people who have committed offences are rehabilitated. And if youre ever going to let anybody out after they have committed an offence, you have got to try and do what you can to rehabilitate them so that there is a chance they wont reoffend or improve the chance that they wont reoffend. Ok, so you said he was released because that was the law at the time, so presumably he was under the ipp system. He was sentenced under the ipp system, as i read the reports off the press, his case went to the court of appeal and it was changed to a determinate sentence. That is a fixed term sentence, which meant that he was then released automatically halfway through his adult sentence, like most adults are. There are only a few exceptions to the general rule. And so the law has worked as parliament prescribed. Parliament has set out these rules and everything went it was required to do so. Itjust goes to show, perhaps, if the reports are right, that he was adhering to all of his licence conditions and he had permission to be where he was meant to be and so on and so forth, it goes to show how hard it is to actually make sure that people dont reoffend unless you have really changed their mindset. And you have got an opportunity to do that when somebody is in prison and youve got an opportunity to do that afterwards, if you put the resources into making sure that people learn lessons and dont go back to offending. It is across all crime, though. Its gone from remote wilderness to tourist hotspot in just a few decades. Antarctica is now the destination of choice, for thousands of thrill seekers. But with tourism and Climate Change taking their toll on the region visitors now have a greener, more Sustainable Way of getting there. Andy beatt reports. Ladies and gentlemen, have a wonderful first day in antarctica. The coldest, most hostile place on earth. And one of the most popular. Nearly 80,000 visit this fragile environment each year. Every passenger generating five tonnes of c02. A polar paradox antarcticas tourist boom threatening its very existence. Now, though, hope on the horizon. To be on the first hybrid powered expedition ship in the world, that makes it pretty special. It is the same technology as you have in your trusty telephone, only larger. On its maiden voyage, the ships electric engines drastically cutting the Environmental Impact and delivering savings of 20 . 0n higher decks, 430 passengers can enjoy its lounges, infinity pool and hot tubs a bubble of luxury in a wintry wilderness. They are also invited to seek scientific enlightenment. You have passengers coming down, which provides a great opportunity for them to be involved in actual science that is going on in a region of the world where we dont have a lot of data. We are also increasing the awareness of our guests on the problem that is Climate Change, for example, and the many changes that are taking place. Trips ashore are carefully controlled. Tourists keeping well away from wildlife and cleaning personal effects to avoid the introduction of invasive species. Translation when we come here, when we see and feel the reality, we understand how important it is that it stays that way protected, uninhabited, reserved for animals. With a second hybrid ship planned, visits to this white continentjust got a little bit greener. Andy beatt, bbc news. The annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, in bethlehems manger square has taken place. The tree is outside the church of the nativity where christians believe jesus was born. The Tree Lighting marks the beginning of advent. And staying in bethlehem a fragment of wood, believed by christians, to be from jesus 5 manger has been returned to the town after more than a thousand years in rome. The thumb sized relic has been given to the holy land on the orders of pope francis, as a gift. Time for a look at the weather with darren bett. Hello there. The final day of november was particularly cold in scotland after that earlier sharp frost but also in parts of the midlands where the mist and fog was reluctant to left and for most, the uk was still sitting in that colder air at the moment, but for south west knew that weather front, it is not quite so chilly here. There is more cloud and more breeze and still a few showery bursts of rain which will head southwards towards the channel islands. Northwards, though and we have got some more mist and fog for the midlands, parts of wales and the situation is more complicated in east anglia with more cloud, maybe one or two showers, with some showers for Northern Ireland, most of them in the far north of scotland, in the breeze, but in the northern half of the uk, another widespread frost, could be 9 in rural scotland, further south, the frost is more marginal, there is a bit more cloud around, some mist and fog and a breeze, too. That breeze though should help lift the mist and fog more quickly on sunday, push a way back clout, sunshine far and wide, but a few showers continuing in the north and north east of scotland, grazing some of those north sea coast. We have a noticeable breeze for the southern half of the uk and these are the temperatures we are looking at for the first day of december. Similar to what we had today, not quite as mild perhaps in the south west, but at least it will be more sunshine. As we head into the beginning of next week, well we still have High Pressure around, still cold air across many parts of the country, but signs of change coming into the north west as the weather fronts topple in and introduce a milder air. It wont be as cold in scotland perhaps, not for Northern Ireland on monday morning, the frost more likely further south, particularly in rural areas. So, really cold start here. A crisp one. Plenty of sunshine to come for england and wales, brightening up more for Northern Ireland, we do have more of a breeze though for scotland, dragging in more cloud, most of the rain will be in the far north of the country and the highest amateur this time will be in the highlands. 10 degrees here. Elsewhere, 6 8d, so just lifting up a touch. But southern areas and south eastern parts of the uk we are going to have High Pressure dominating into the middle part of next week. These weather fronts a milder air toppling into the north west. But for more southern parts of england, where the winds are lighter, we have got these long nights, there could well be some more mist and fog and low cloud tuesday and wednesday, making it feel particularly cold, all of it turning milder, windier and perhaps wetter later in the week. Hello. This is bbc news with lukwesa burak. Well be taking a look at tomorrow mornings papers in a moment, first the headlines. Tributes are paid to the first victim to be named in the London Bridge attack. Cambridge graduate jack merritt, was running a prisoner rehabilitiation conference to which his attacker had been invited. Police have commended the bravery shown by members of the public, including convicted criminals who overpowered the knifeman. Its emerged that usman khan had been released on licence for his involvement in planning terror attacks. And in other news, millions of commuters will have to pay an average of 2. 7 more for rail tickets in the new year. And england will face croatia in their opening game for euro 2020,