Haroon Aswat, a self-confessed terrorist who admitted involvement in both the 9/11 attacks and 7/7 London bombings, is expected to be freed from a secure UK hospital within days.

According to The Daily Mail, the 50-year-old will be released despite officials declaring him a "risk to national security." The convicted terrorist, who was jailed in the US in 2015 for attempting to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon, was deported back to Britain in 2022 after serving most of his 20-year sentence.

Newly released US court documents reveal Aswat's alarming confession, stating he was a "mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and a 2005 attack in the UK." Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick expressed grave concerns about Aswat's imminent release, declaring: "He should never experience freedom again."

Terrorist's Alarming History and Confessions

Aswat's connection to major terrorist attacks has been documented through both his own admissions and evidence uncovered by authorities. The terrorist openly admitted his associations with Osama bin Laden and revealed he had trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan just months before the September 11 attacks that claimed over 3,000 lives.

US court documents describe Aswat as a "terrorist and foot soldier of al-Qaeda" who made explicit statements about his terrorist activities. In March 2017, he reportedly stated, "If you think I am a terrorist, I don't shy away from my responsibility," while also claiming to be a mastermind behind both 9/11 and the 2007 London bombings that killed 52 people.

His connections to the 7/7 attacks include evidence that he met two of the bombers at a house in Pakistan in 2002. Police also traced 20 calls made by the 7/7 bombers to a phone connected to Aswat, further establishing his links to the deadly attack on London's transport system.

Mental Health Complications and Release Conditions

Despite the severity of his crimes, Aswat's release appears to be proceeding due to complexities surrounding his mental health treatment. Currently detained at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Bromley, south east London, Aswat will be released without a full risk assessment of his terrorist potential.

Mr. Justice Robert Jay of the High Court previously acknowledged the serious nature of Aswat's offenses and the evidence of ongoing risk. "A risk assessment in relation to terrorist offending is always inherently uncertain and in the present case is compounded by the mental instability of the defendant," the justice stated in court documents.

Upon release, Aswat will only be subject to a notification order requiring him to provide police with information about his address, foreign travel details, and vehicle registration. This minimal supervision has raised significant concerns given his history and continued extremist views.

Expert Assessments of Ongoing Danger

Multiple professionals have assessed Aswat as continuing to pose a threat despite his mental health treatment. Dr. Richard Taylor, who evaluated Aswat in 2022, concluded that even when mentally stable, the terrorist continued to express "violent, extremist Islamic ideology."

The psychiatric report identified troubling behaviors, including threats made toward prison staff in 2017 in support of Al Qaeda. In 2022, Aswat reportedly sent letters containing demands and death threats seemingly motivated by terrorist ideology.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, head of operations for the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, expressed serious concerns in a witness statement, saying Aswat's conduct gives him "grave concerns about the risk which the defendant poses to the UK's national security and to the public."

Why This Story Matters

This case brings to light the troubling intersection of violent extremism and mental health treatment. It reveals how legal limitations can unintentionally lead to the release of high-risk individuals. The public deserves transparency and accountability when national security is at stake.

It also raises urgent questions on how the government classifies and manages perceived terror threats—especially when former offenders make bold claims about their past acts. This is not just about one man, but the systems designed to keep communities safe. The need to reevaluate how Britain handles returning terror convicts has never been clearer.

Conclusion

Haroon Aswat, a British citizen once tied to the planning of two major terrorist acts, is scheduled to be released back into the community within days. After playing a role in founding a U.S.-based terror camp and associating with 9/11 masterminds, he served time in America before being deported in 2022. Officials linked him to the perpetrators of the 2005 London bombings and found his name in documents associated with al-Qaeda’s top leaders. While a psychiatrist has deemed his treatment effective, experts and law enforcement continue to warn of his influence and extremist rhetoric. His release—without a full terrorism assessment—raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of current safeguards against future attacks.