Terrorist Sudesh Amman followed by nine officers as he launched stab attack in London

Inquest hears that the ISIS supporter was released from jail despite signs of extremism

Police officers working at the scene of the attack in Streatham in February 2020. AP Photo

Convicted British terrorist Sudesh Amman told a fellow prisoner that he was not finished with “non-believers yet” before stabbing two people less than two weeks after his release from jail.

Amman was considered to pose such a threat that nine plain-clothes policemen were following him when he launched his minute-long knife attack in a street in south London, an inquest heard on Monday.

Sudesh Amman was released from prison last month after serving half of his sentence for distributing terrorist material. Metropolitan Police

The 20-year-old, who was wearing a fake suicide bombing vest, stole a knife from a shop and injured two passers-by before he was killed by police.

Concerns were raised about Amman's behaviour after he was arrested in May 2018. He was jailed for 40 months for sharing ISIS beheading videos on social media and encouraging his girlfriend to murder her parents.

He was released two-thirds of the way through his sentence, despite holding to extremist views and indicating that he would remain a danger once released.

A search of his cell uncovered handwritten notes in Arabic that appeared to show loyalty to ISIS. Days before his release, he told a prisoner that he was “not finished with these non-believers yet”, a senior detective, Dominic Murphy, told the inquest into Amman's death in central London.

The fears were so great that police had asked the governor not to release him from Belmarsh top-security prison in south-east London, but the request was turned down, the inquest heard.

After his release, Amman was placed under 24-hour surveillance. The operation showed he had bought items including tape and foil that have been used to make fake suicide vests.

The surveillance operation was strengthened by armed officers before Amman struck on February 2, 2020 – 10 days after his release.

Two officers pursued Amman after he grabbed a knife and stabbed two people. One of the officers fired, missing Amman and shattering a shop window.

Amman, from London, turned to confront the two officers with the knife in his hand and was shot dead, the inquest was told.

The hearings are expected to continue for more than two weeks.