The outgoing chief inspector of the UK's prison service warned that Muslim gangs have been recruiting in UK prisons.

Islamist gangs are recruiting in British prisons, according to the outgoing chief inspector of the UK’s prison service, Nick Hardwick.

“There are undoubtedly a small number of very dangerous men motivated by a religion or ideology who are trying to recruit other people so they will go on to commit offences linked to that ideology or religion” he told the Times in an interview.

“You do have Muslim gangs but the point about it is, it is a gang,” he added, emphasizing the role of prison power politics in recruitment. “That is more important than it is Muslim.

There might be pressure to join up, but how real that conversion is is the big question.”

Warnings over radicalization in prisons have been previously given in the UK, as well as France and America.

A debate has been ongoing as to whether or not to isolate Islamists from the general population in prison and whether it would help or hinder radicalization.
UK Prison Inspector Warns of Prison Radicalization