A suspected terrorist has claimed he was placed in a four bedroom house in the “nicest part of Ipswich” under a government monitoring program.

%image(15181570, type="article-full", alt="The terror suspect who was placed in Ipswich has spoken out amid fears a homegrown militant cell linked to radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary is re-emerging Picture: DAVID MIRZOEFF/PRESS ASSOCIATION")

The man said his time in Suffolk was "amazing" and spoke with the New York Times on the condition he remained anonymous, claimed being under the program's tight restrictions was more like a holiday.

He made the comments amid concerns that a homegrown militant cell - Al Muhajiroun, co-founded by radical preacher Anjem Choudary - is re-emerging.

The man was among a number of people monitored by the government as part of a program restricting where suspected terrorists live, where they go, who they speak to and what they spend.

He told the New York Times: "It was amazing. I was placed in a four-bedroom house by myself in the nicest part of Ipswich.

%image(15181572, type="article-full", alt="Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed was kept under surveillance in Ipswich in 2011 Picture: PRESS ASSOCIATION")

"If anything, I got a good rest after years of hard work, got my energy back. They spent all that money to achieve what in the end?

"I'm back on Twitter, back on Facebook, back with my brothers. I'm back in society, doing my thing."

Government officials have powers to restrict suspected terrorists' movements, communications, residence and financial activity under Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) rolled out in 2011.

Such restrictions are enforced using electronic tags and house arrest, among other methods.

%image(15181574, type="article-full", alt="In 2015, it emerged Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed who had been living in Suffolk may have recruited Islamic State militant Mohammed Emwazi, known as "Jihadi John" Picture: PRESS ASSOCIATION")

It is unclear when the man quoted was based in Ipswich, or for how long.

The town's MP, Sandy Martin, said: "If anyone is placed in a community under a supervision order the local authorities - police, councils and the local MP - ought to be informed.

"I have not been informed of any such further placement in Ipswich since the one identified six years ago, and I have no reason to suppose that anyone has been placed here.

"I will be asking the question and I trust I will get a straight answer."

%image(15181576, type="article-full", alt="MP Sandy Martin has reacted to claims that a terror suspect lived in a four-bedroom house in the 'nicest part of Ipswich Picture: NK Photography.co.uk")

In 2015, it emerged Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, who had lived in Suffolk for several weeks in 2011, could have been instrumental in radicalising Jihadi John, the London-born IS killer Muhammed Emwazi responsible for a number of killings including British hostages David Haines and Alan Henning.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed was made the subject of a control order - these were rolled out in 2005 to place terrorism suspects under supervision when they could not be prosecuted. They were abolished when TPIMs came into force.

At the time, former Ipswich MP Ben Gummer raised questions over why the town was being used as a place to relocate terror suspects.

A Government spokesman said: "The public should be in no doubt that when any terrorist offender is released from prison, we know about it and have robust covert and overt powers to investigate and manage any threat they may pose.

"Disruptive tools, such as TPIMs, involve restrictions which are considered necessary and proportionate to the threat posed by an individual and are reviewed regularly.

"Public protection is our first priority and any decision follows a robust risk assessment.

"Those released on licence remain subject to close monitoring and strict conditions, which if breached can see them go back to prison."