Fugitive in burka ‘played legal system’

Fugitive Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed was most recently granted bail in August after being held in custody for allegations that he had tampered with his electronic monitoring tag, it has emerged.

It had already been revealed in court that the 27-year-old had been remanded in custody and released on bail twice before – between October 2011 and February 2012 and between December 2012 and April this year.

Despite having some charges dropped against him on the day he vanished, Mohamed was still facing 20 charges for breaking the restrictions of a terrorism prevention and investigation measure (Tpim) and an earlier control order.

Charles Farr, director general of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism within the Home Office, revealed the terror suspect had been granted bail three times as he was challenging the legality of the Tpim and the control orders. He told the Home Affairs Select Committee that had he been convicted, he could have faced more than a year in jail.

Committee member Michael Ellis MP said Mohamed had “played the legal system”.

Charges against Mohamed include attempting to access the internet without approval and possessing a digital storage device without permission.