Extremists living in UK under secretive counter-terror programme

Exclusive: 116 convicted and suspected terrorists living in the community under little-known DDP scheme

More than 100 convicted and suspected terrorists living in the community are subject to a secretive government programme designed to stop the most entrenched extremists from endangering the public, the Guardian can reveal.

The Home Office twice refused a Freedom of Information request by the Guardian but following a complaint to the data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, revealed that 116 people were subject to the desistance and disengagement programme (DDP) between October 2016 and September 2018.