Ann Widdecombe has called on mosque leaders to do more in the fight against extremism after the murder of her friend David Amess.
On Wednesday, Ali Harbi Ali, 26, was sentenced to a whole-life order after murdering the MP at his constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, last year.
Speaking about the incident, Ms Widdecombe sent a stark warning to other extremists who were thinking about carrying out an attack.
Speaking on GB News’ Dan Wootton Tonight, she said: “This was a man who was clever he's educated he's articulate he's intelligent and he had a career before him as a doctor.
Ann Widdicombe in conversation with Dan Wootton
GB News
Sir David Amess was killed in October last year
Chris McAndrew
“Then what happened was he became self-radicalised, and he developed the idea that it was the will of Allah he should kill MPs who voted to bomb ISIS and that was why he decided to kill David, there was no other reason.
“This was an example of extreme islam.
“It's crucial that anybody who thinks that a friend or a close relative who may becoming radicalised it's desperately important they report that.
“I'm glad that what he's facing is not the martyrdom he wanted he's got instead half a century or more of being confined moving between a narrow cell to an exercise yard that's restricted.
“I want the message to go out to anyone who's contemplating an act of terror, that is what is waiting for you.
The former member of the European Parliament also called opn leaders of the mosque, known as imams, to condemn terror attacks.
“What are the moderate imams doing in all of this, the message we most definitely need from you now is this is not the will of Allah."
She continued: “His (Sir David’s) legacy will go on for a long time to come whereas in a year's time I doubt anyone will remember the name of Ali Harbi Ali.”
