Muslim gangs taking over UK prisons: Report

Groups of Muslim prisoners in high-security wings of the British jails are trying to dominate staff through 8216;fear and instability8217;, a new report claimed.

Groups of Muslim prisoners in high-security wings of the British jails are trying to dominate staff through 8216;fear and instability8217;, a new report claimed on Sunday.

According to an internal review of Cambridgeshire8217;s Whitemoor prison obtained by The Observer, the staff believe a 8216;serious incident is imminent8217;.

According to the report, Muslims represent just under a third of the jail8217;s 500 inmates. But some members of the staff believe these prisoners have become more of a gang than just a religious group and this, combined with the facility8217;s lack of awareness, has led to a shift in control.

On arrival, prisoners particularly white prisoners are often warned about the gangs and the tension between staff and black and ethnic minority BME inmates is growing.

8220;Staff appeared reluctant to challenge inappropriate behaviour, in particular among the BME prisoners for fear of doing the wrong thing,8221; the report said.

8220;This was leading to a general feeling of a lack of control and shifting the power dynamic towards prisoners,8221; it said. 8220;A wing itself felt particularly unstable with a general lack of confidence among staff.8221;

The apprehension about Muslim prisoners has potentially damaging consequences and is in danger of 8216;leading to hostility and Islamophobia8217;.

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Whitemoor is a maximum security prison for males and includes a pilot assessment focusing on the potential link between severe personality disorders and dangerousness.

The inmates of Whitemoor are classed as category A or B. Category A prisoners are those whose escape is considered to be a threat to national security or highly dangerous to the public, while category B prisoners are those for whom escape must be made very difficult.