British prisoners are increasingly being forced to convert to Islam by their fellow inmates, the prison officers’ union has warned.
Muslim gangs are growing in power and influence among prisoners, and there are concerns that they are targeting vulnerable new arrivals – making prisons a breeding ground for extremism.
“It is a concern, and there’s been clear evidence from a variety of different incidents. Young men are being targeted and then coerced into converting to Islam,” the association’s general secretary, Steve Gillan, told Sky News.
One woman, whose brother is being bullied by a gang trying to force him to convert, told the broadcaster: “He just looks like a broken man ... he's tearful on visits. I'm just really scared for him. He's been physically assaulted. He's had black eyes. In the showers, he got threatened with a knife. He's not going to back down. He's not going to convert for anyone.” » | Adam Withnall | Sunday, October 20, 2013
