Ministers under fire after terror suspect escapes surveillance

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed is understood to have received training and fought overseas for al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based cell of the militant Islamist group al-Qaida.

The 27-year-old entered a west London mosque on Friday in Western-style clothes but CCTV images later showed him leaving with his face and body fully covered by the traditional Islamic garment.

Home Secretary Theresa May was due to make a statement on his disappearance to the House of Commons.

Mohamed is subject to a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpim) notice, which was imposed primarily to prevent overseas travel.

Mohamed is the second person to breach a Tpim since they were introduced to replace control orders in early 2012. Ibrahim Magag ripped off his electronic tag last December and vanished in a black cab.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the situation as “extremely serious” and demanded more information from Home Secretary Theresa May on how Mohamed was able to abscond.

Ms Cooper added that Ms May needs to “provide rapid information about the extent and adequacy of the restrictions” on Mohamed.

Somalia-born Mohamed is “not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to the public”, Scotland Yard said.

He was named after a court-imposed anonymity order was lifted by the Home Secretary to allow police to make a public appeal.

It is understood he took part in terrorist training in 2008 and is believed to have helped various individuals travel from the UK to Somalia to engage in terrorism.