British police launch manhunt for missing terror suspect

USPA News - British police have launched a manhunt for a Somali-born terror suspect who escaped police surveillance by changing into a burka at a mosque in London, officials said on late Sunday evening, appealing for the public`s help to find the man. Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, 27, was under close police surveillance after being placed under a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIM) notice, which may be imposed on individuals when there is a `reasonable belief` that he or she is or has been involved in terrorism-related activity.

Mohamed is known to have attended the An-Noor Masjid and Community Centre in west London in Western-style clothing at approximately 10 a.m. local time on Friday, and was last seen inside the mosque at 3:15 p.m. He is then believed to have changed into a burka with his face completely covered before leaving the mosque, as was seen on CCTV images. "The Counter Terrorism Command immediately launched inquiries to trace Mr Mohamed and these continue," said a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), which is better known as Scotland Yard. "Ports and borders were notified with his photograph and details circulated nationally. Public safety remains our priority." Few details about the suspect were immediately released, and a court lifted an anonymity order on Saturday to allow police to launch a public appeal for help. It was not disclosed why a TPIM notice had been imposed on Mohamed, who is described as a medium build black male and about 5 foot 8 inches (1.72 meters) tall. "Mohamed is not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to the public. ... Anyone who sees Mr Mohamed or knows of his whereabouts should not approach him, but call 999 immediately," the police spokesman said, urging anyone with other information about the suspect to call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline. David Anderson, the UK`s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, said Mohamed`s identity had previously been withheld for his own protection. "The primary intention of TPIMs is to protect the public from the risk posed by persons whom the Home Secretary believes to have engaged in terrorism-related activity, but whom it is feasible neither to prosecute nor to deport," he explained. Only 9 people, of whom 8 British citizens, were under TPIM notices as of August 31, according to figures from the UK`s Home Office. They are subject to a number of requirements, including overnight residence at a specified address, GPS tagging, restrictions or notification requirements concerning travel, movement, association, communication, finances, work and study, and a duty to report daily to the authorities.