Jailed al-Qaeda jihadist enrolled in "comedy-workshop"

An Al Qaeda terrorist serving 18 years for his involvement in a plot to bomb London was taught how to be a stand-up comic at his top-security prison.

Evil Zia Ul Haq was enrolled in an eight-day “comedy workshop” at Whitemoor jail, along with murderers and rapists.
An inquiry was launched today by the director of high security prisons to consider whether further action was needed, the Ministry of Justice said.

A spokeswoman added: “The director general of the National Offender Management Service is personally briefing governors from all prisons on the need to take account of the public acceptability test in relation to prison classes.”
The 18 cons were given lessons in stand-up, comic drama, improvisation and scriptwriting.
Once they “graduated” they were due to get a certificate and display their new talents with a comedy show for fellow inmates and guards.

On Thursday Justice Secretary Jack Straw canned the "totally unacceptable" course. He also vetoed a plan by the Category A Cambridgeshire prison to set up its own comedy club.
Ul Haq, 29, was given an 18-year stretch last year for his part in a plot to bomb buildings in London and the rest of the U.K.
He was a member of a sleeper cell controlled by British Al Qaeda "general" Dhiren Barot, 35, who is serving a minimum of 30 years.

Ul Haq, of Paddington, West London, has a degree in construction management. And he was recruited to advise on locating bombs so buildings would collapse when they exploded.
Anti-terror cops said the cell planned to cause "huge loss of life" using limos packed with gas cylinders.

The class started on Monday and ran for three days before Straw stepped in. He said: "As soon as I heard about it, I instructed it must be immediately cancelled."