Jails to get tough on violent radicals in wake of Kempsey inmate attack

EXCLUSIVE: THE handling of violent, radicalised prisoners in NSW jails is to be revamped following the horrific attack on an inmate in Kempsey last week.

Prison shot of Bourhan Hraichie, who attacked another prisoner in Kempsey Jail. Hraichie is accused of cutting an Islamic State slogan into another prisoner head, a former Digger, Michael Sean O'Keefe

• EX-DIGGER INMATE IN CRITICAL CONDITION
• VICIOUS ATTACK WAS JUST ONE OF MANY

THE handling of violent, radicalised prisoners in NSW jails is to be revamped following the horrific attack on an inmate in Kempsey last week.

The new Inspector of NSW Prisons will investigate the “management of radicalised prisoners” and will be asked to find “improvements” the government can make.

In a letter to the Inspector of Custodial Services Fiona Rafter, Minister for Corrections David Elliott said: “The number of prisoners in NSW who are charged or serving sentences for terror-related ­offences has increased.

Prison shot of Bourhan Hraichie.

“Information indicates that these prisoners as well as some other prisoners … advocate or approve of the use of violence and terror as part of their political and religious views.

“As we discussed, I request that you conduct an inquiry into the management of radicalised prisoners in NSW and consider whether the NSW government can make improvements in tackling this ­important issue.

“Radicalised prisoners present challenges to prison systems in Australia and overseas with respect to matters like security measures, inmate management strategies and the provision of programs to address offending behaviour.”

The inquiry is a response to the Kempsey assault in which an 18-year-old radicalised ­detainee poured boiling water over a cellmate’s head and carved “e4e” — standing for the Islamic State mantra “an eye for an eye” into his scalp.

The radicalised teen inmate has been moved to Supermax.

The Daily Telegraph was told last month there were 40 people before the courts on terror-related charges as police continue to confront the terror threat. Of the 28 inmates ­charged with, or convicted of, terror-related ­offences, 24 are in Goulburn Supermax.

It is understood there are also about 85 other prisoners who are known or suspected of holding extremist views.

“Any growth or evidence of extremism in our state’s jails is of grave concern, which is why we need to make sure that we are on top of our game when it comes to managing these prisoners,” Mr Elliott said. “I want to ensure that our intervention and management strategies are based on international best practice. We will not take a backward step when it comes to the protection of prison officers and community safety.”

Ms Rafter started in her new role on Monday.

Mr Elliott’s office said that last October a new “National Security Interest designation”, or classification, was created to assist Corrective Services NSW improve their control and monitoring of the way such prisoners communicated.

Under these rules, visitors to the “NSI inmates” must ­undergo a criminal record check before they are ­approved to visit. Mail and phone calls must be in English or a language approved by the Corrective Services Commission and all mail is opened, read and copied.

There is an Extreme High Risk Restricted classification for inmates accused or convicted of terrorism who are held in maximum security and subjected to even greater restrictions