a tour of the jail within a jail that houses britain's most dangerous convicts - cctv camera box

by:Hanway     2019-09-15
a tour of the jail within a jail that houses britain\'s most dangerous convicts  -  cctv camera box
Unit 12 on wing 3 is about 6ft wide and about 10ft long.
A small screen-covered window provides a dull view of the outside wall.
There is a small TV on the plastic desk in one corner and a metal toilet in the other.
Only very long.
The lever tap handle is adjusted to show the identity of the occupant.
For the past six years, it has been the "home" of the notorious Muslim cleric Abu Hamza ".
He is one of the nine prisoners held in Britain's safest prison.
The high security department of HMP Belmarsh holds the country's most dangerous criminals (HSU)
Is it a prison? a-prison.
So far, almost no one knows about it.
Even in the main prison, most of the 843 inmates do not know what is going on inside.
But this week, The Independent became the first newspaper to be allowed full access to Xu and was allowed to talk to people whose job is to protect the country's most dangerous criminals.
We saw the crowded living conditions and the tedious regime experienced by the 21/7 bombers and the black hand behind the Glasgow airport attacks, Bill Abdullah and others.
In order to get into the main prison, I have negotiated 15 gates and scanned my fingerprints.
Arrived at a gray concrete building opposite the nearest prison with no windows-built five-a-
Security checks have started again.
In a small reception area with carpets-the only carpet in the block-surrounded by CCTV cameras, I took off my shoes and belts and put everything I had in X-ray machine.
I walked past a metal detector and gave a body search-my jeans lining, soles of my feet and my mouth were checked.
This security is not just for visitors-prison guards have to do the same search before entering.
At the end of the reception area is a red iron gate.
It takes at least four to get through this door.
Wait a minute because it can only be unlocked by the staff in the control room who use remote cameras to check the identity of people who can zoom in to study their faces.
Once passed, you will face four more doors, each leading to a different part of the unit.
The unit cannot open two doors at the same time.
HSU was divided into four "spurs" on two floors ".
12 sheets per person-Occupy the community.
Built next to the main prison in 1991, Xu's prison was initially used almost exclusively to hold IRA prisoners.
But since then, agent KGB
The "base" terrorists, and even Charles Bronson, Britain's most violent prisoner, have a strong urge to themselves.
But while Bronson is considered too dangerous to mix up with others, the men currently being held in Xu City are not there because they pose any physical risks.
To a large extent, it is their reputation that gives them a place there.
"We got a lot.
"Overview of the prisoners and prisoners who are capable of escaping," explained one manager Xu . ".
"The types of prisoners we have here are very different from the types of prisoners in ordinary prisons.
Prisoners here have the means and the ability to achieve results that prisoners will not achieve elsewhere.
"This applies to Curtis Warren, who is currently being held in Xucheng.
He is a gangster, a drug dealer, who was once the most wanted person for Interpol.
Warren, an externally powerful and influential criminal, is worried that if he gets mixed up with other prisoners, he will be both things in prison.
And, even though bermarsh never had the 19-
He also has the potential to escape the risk in the past year.
There is a different fear around Abu Hamza: he will use his preaching to provoke other Muslim prisoners.
He cannot do so within Xu's scope.
In fact, he did not do much.
The prisoners here have a similar system to the prisoners in the main prison, except that they are not allowed to work-the prison work includes packing tea bags and cleaning.
They spent 12 hours in the cell and 12 hours outside.
The day starts at 8. 10am.
Breakfast 20 minutes, 1 hour of outdoor exercise, 1 hour of use of the gym, must clean the wing for half an houran-hour a day.
The rest of the time spent from the cell-five hours-is the "association" time.
During this time, they can chat with each other, play pool or table football, watch TV, or use a paddle machine or fitness bike sitting on the wing.
Laundry Service and shower are also provided.
While this may not sound like a system of special taxation, it is far from stimulating.
Of course, this is not a holiday camp that some commentators will convince you.
The area is very crowded and very uncomfortable.
During the five hours of their association, the Xu prisoners could not leave the scope of their spur.
The only outside area is two surprisingly large fitness venues surrounded by high fences with barbed wire and metal mesh on the roof.
After a yard I saw two people walking around slowly.
Four prison guards are watching them.
The alarm rang.
Unlike most people's perception of the prison, this is not a siren, but a coded message sent through the guard's radio.
We were told not to move.
As we watched the two exercise, one of them made a joke with a guard.
Just at this point, I was warned by an official that although these people are already in the Xu, classified as "special risk" prisoners, mixing with anyone is not allowed except for each other.
He added: "These two are the most powerful two people in prison throughout Europe.
"If HSU sounds like an extra penalty, it's not intentional.
In fact, the prison has made amazing efforts to make the most dangerous people happy.
The fact that Abu Hamza is disabled and he has no hands (
He's not allowed in prison.
Someone has taken care of it.
Two cells in Xu city have been equipped with special faucets, shelves and clothes nails.
The staff were warned not to be too friendly to the prisoners.
Before being moved back to the main prison, Xu's officials were only allowed to work there for three years.
They were also warned not to share any personal information with prisoners.
Because of this, manager Xu asked not to publish his name.
Senior Murray officials explained: "Our staff here are trained in on-site operations and regulation.
We don't like employees becoming overdone.
Friendly as it can reach the point where the prisoner has a staff member in his pocket and can manipulate him for help or to call.
"Take precautions to ensure that the prisoner cannot hide anything in his cell.
Every few months, men are transferred to different cells and searched.
That's why there are two Hamza.
On the day I visited, everything was calm in the Xu family.
Prisoners in prison
The problem of chestnut jogging
At the bottom, use the gym under the surveillance of the guards.
But that's not always the case.
Warden Phil Wrangler recalled the incident in which the prisoner refused to return to his cell and had to be forcibly restricted.
But he denied a report in the newspaper.
Qa 'Ida has taken over Xu and the prisoners have been radicalized.
HSU's misconduct was punished in the form of an isolated unit and prisoners had to stay in their cells for 23 hours a day.
If a prisoner is particularly troublesome, he will enter the "box": a room with nothing but perspex windows.
Due to its increased safety and the smaller number of prisoners, Xu's safety record is better than that of the main prison.
An accidental death occurred-a bag of drugs exploded inside prisoners-and an attempt by IRA prisoners to cut their throat.
However, unlike the main prison, there have been three suicides in the last three months, and no one has committed suicide in Xu prison.
Murray said that although Xu had committed different crimes, the atmosphere was generally good.
"The prisoners here have to get on the bus because it is a closed environment," he said . ".
"You will be surprised who gets along with who.
No gangs or religious beliefs.
Muslim and non-Muslim prisoners
Muslim prisoners get along very well.
"In my experience, the prisoner who came back from here to the main prison hated it.
In the main prison, the number of prisoners in contact with staff is not the same.
For many of them, coming here also gives them honor.
"While the prison staff are careful not to discuss the identity of the current prisoner, they like the name --
Put down the former prisoner: "I remember when I heard Charlie Bronson banging on his cell door. . .
When I first met Ian Huntley. .
"This is the beginning of two stories I have heard.
They honestly admit that even they are interested in the people they take care.
Senior Jason Hancock official explained: "I will watch the news at night and hear about the arrest of a large number of terrorists because of the type of prisoners we care for, and I say to myself: "I will see them in the morning. ".
"I went home and told my wife, 'Guess who I met today. . .
But we see a lot of shocking things that we didn't go home and tell our friends and family.
"A lot of things are left in prison, and officials have their own coping mechanisms.
Some of us tell jokes because they don't want to admit that something has a bigger impact on us than we say.
"One of the most interesting things about HMP Belmarsh is unique"prison" set-up.
In Xu Wai is a local prison. The prisoners in the prison are short-term. term sentences.
Not only are the prisoners separated, but the roads of the guards do not cross.
In some respects, the conditions of the main prison are worse than those of Xu.
John Steadman, 40year-
Old cocaine dealer, five months later. year sentence.
He was sitting in his cell watching TV when I went.
"The prison is boring and repetitive," he said . "
"This is my first sentence. It is definitely my last sentence.
Yes, we can watch TV and play billiards, but these are just things that kill time.
You can have a sauna and a sunbed here, I 'd rather stay outside.
"It is not only prisoners who complain;
The guards often refer to low staffing levels-there are only over 400 officers on the rotation, and they are keenly aware that prisoners are always far more than they are.
They also have to deal with drugs and cell phones smuggled into prison.
This is especially annoying as many people are brought in by corrupt guards.
Still, Governor Phil Wrangler was satisfied with his prison.
"This is the best order for the prison service," he told me . ".
"We have the highest security and the most resources.
This is also the most expensive prison.
"Yes, it has a bad reputation, but we did a good job.
It has a bad reputation for all the wrong reasons.
It has a bad name because, frankly, people who are not qualified to do so will write something about it.
Not a holiday camp, of course.
"It doesn't look like it either.
Obviously, the prisoners inside agreed.
When I left the prison, I walked past the guard with my dog and a training ground full of prisoners who pressed their faces against the fence.
Someone yelled at me.
"Let me tell you, young man," he said, nodding toward the gate and the world outside. "You are a very lucky person.
Abu Hamza, the most notorious prisoner in bermarsh, extremist clergy lost their hands in the explosion.
Pending extradition requests from the United States.
Wahid Zamana arrived in Belmarsh for a relatively new time, and he was convicted of planning a bombing of a transatlantic flight.
Warren, one of Britain's most dangerous gangsters, served 13 years for drug smuggling.
Charles BronsonDubbed, known as Britain's most violent prisoner, once had the entire wings of Belmarsh HSU.
Soham's murderer, Ian Huntley, was held in Belmarsh's senior security forces before being tried and convicted on 2005.
Kenneth noyelrod's angry killer fled to Spain in 1996 after he stabbed 21-year-old Stephen Cameron in Kent Swanley.
Ronnie Biggs ran for 36 years and then spent 8 years in Belmarsh.
Released out of sympathy last summer
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