BRITISH terror suspects returning from Syria will be offered taxpayer-funded council homes to "bribe" them not to attack the UK, according to reports.

The plans, codenamed Operation Constrain, could even see jihadis jumping to the top of council house waiting lists.

3 ISIS fanatics returning to the UK from Syria could be given council houses under new plans Credit: Alamy

And the suspected ISIS fanatics could also be given counselling and help finding a job, Mail on Sunday reports.

Official documents seen by the newspaper reveal that up to 20,000 extremists investigated by MI5 will be given the "bribes" to stop them attacking Britain.

The programme will reportedly start next year and police and councils are hoping the Home Office will pay for it out of their £900 million counter-terrorism budget.

It has been slammed by experts and MPs.

3 The plans, revealed by the Mail on Sunday, could see terror suspects jump to the top of council housing queues Credit: Alamy

Terrorism expert Professor Anthony Glees, of Buckingham University, said: "You can’t bribe people not to be terrorists."

While Tory MP Andrew Bridgen added: "This sounds like a reward for being on a list of potential terrorists. You can’t buy people’s loyalty to this country."

It comes amid fears fanatics living in Britain are slipping through the net after those behind the two devastating terror attacks in London and the Manchester bomb blast were revealed as having been previously under surveillance by MI5.

Agencies are now worried up to 20,000 former "subjects of interest" that have been monitored in the past could be plotting new atrocities and the nationwide scheme will target these suspected radicals.

Plans are reportedly being drawn up between the Home Office, police and local authorities on how to turn the estimated 360 ISIS fighters returning to the UK from Syria away from terrorism.

3 The plans have been slammed by terror experts and MPs Credit: Alamy

Terror breeding grounds in Britain - such as Birmingham, Manchester and London - are a focus of the scheme and police in those areas will be handed details of potential suspects by counter-terror officers and MI5.

If there is no suitable accommodation, the ex-ISIS fighters could be put in social housing and may even get their rent paid for them.

A Whitehall source told the Mail on Sunday: "We are planning a number of pilots to explore the best way to diverting such people from terrorism and extremist activity."

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Government is committed to doing everything possible to protect our communities from the threat of terrorism. To respond to this threat, it is vital that we use all the means at our collective disposal to divert people away from terrorist-related activity and we are exploring the best ways of doing this with our partners.

“We are also reviewing our counter terrorism strategy to make sure we respond to the evolving threat in the most effective way we can, both now and in the future.”

Journalists enter Raqqa, Syria for the first time since it's liberation from ISIS

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