Muslim terrorists being picked on in British prisons, says lawyer

The London lawyer representing the injured "dirty bomber" Dhiren Barot has warned that terrorist convicts are being targeted by other inmates in Britain's jails.

Solicitor Muddassar Arani accused prison chiefs of failing in their "duty of care" to protect terrorist inmates and predicted a Muslim "backlash" if victimisation continued.

Her warning came as she gave details of the extensive injuries sustained by Barot when boiling liquid was thrown over him by fellow convicts in Durham's Frankland Prison on 13 July.

Barot - a Muslim convert from London who was jailed for life last year for plotting attacks in London and New York with explosive-filled limousines and a radioactive "dirty" bomb - was left with severe burns to his scalp, forehead, neck, back and hands after the attack.

Ms Arani said the 35-year-old was in "extreme pain" and his wounds were infected. He is expected to seek compensation.

While receiving treatment in Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary police requested a news blackout to protect medical staff and Barot himself from possible attack.

Northumbria police could not estimate the cost of the security operation, which included armed police in the hospital and the Air Support Unit.

Two other terrorist convicts - Hussain Osman, jailed for his part in the 21/7 attacks in London, and Omar Khyam, the leader of a gang that planned to blow up Bluewater shopping centre - have also been targeted at the jail in recent weeks. A fire was lit in Osman's cell and Khyam has received death threats.

Ms Arani said there had been a failure to protect terrorist convicts. "If we can't treat them as human beings in prison then it does not reflect well on our society," she said.