Claims of Wakefield prison inmate being ‘refused insulin injections’

EXCLUSIVE: The family of a man convicted of terrorism offences claim he has been denied his insulin injections causing serious harm to his health.

Munir Farooqi in 2009. Image shared to the YS by the family.

Manchester resident Munir Farooqi and two others were convicted in 2011 of engaging in conduct designed to radicalise individuals to commit violent jihad in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Farooqi ran an Islamic bookstall in Manchester and was sentenced to 18 years in jail after an undercover police operation.

After the verdict, Det Ch Sup Tony Porter, head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, was reported in the BBC for saying: “This was an extremely challenging case, both to investigate and successfully prosecute at court, because we did not recover any blueprint, attack plan or endgame for these men.

“However, what we were able to prove was their ideology.”

Farooqi is currently being held at HMP Wakefield as a security Category A prisoner.

His family has been campaigning for his innocence ever since he was found guilty and now claim that prison staff have refused him his insulin injections, which are provided to him due to his ongoing deterioration in the loss of sight.

The incident reportedly took place on 19 March when a nurse told Farooqi to come back later on in the day, and when he returned at midday, a second nurse redirected him to the ‘repeat prescription office’.

The family then claim that a nurse from the office “falsely promised” to bring the insulin injections to Farooqi’s cell towards the end of his social time.

He then received it late in the evening during the next time slot out of his cell, when he returned again for his insulin injections.

Writing to the prison outlining their concerns, the family said: “Munir has not been treated at all adequately. The prison authorities and the governors have comprehensively failed to make sure that his health is given the adequate standard that he deserves.”

The letter also states: “He has a disability that has a significant impact on his ability to carry out day to day tasks. In addition he has a variety of medical ailments including a significant loss of sight. It is believed this may be due in part to the lack of decent, adequate healthcare. It is understood the health care required had been assessed as essential by Healthcare professionals.

“The inadequate food of starchy, carbohydrates and potatoes etc. he has been receiving is not suitable with his disability of diabetes, this is a very serious health issue that if left can be fatal.”

The family’s solicitor has also sent letters of concern.

There will be a protest on 5 April at 1.30pm outside the prison.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson told the Yorkshire Standard: “There is no truth to these allegations.”