Prison guards suspect some extremists keep large piles of books in order to hide smaller, politically extreme literature within their cells.

Ministers hope the curbs will prevent the spreading of terrorist ideology within UK prisons.

One prisoner was found to have amassed more than 200 books in an apparent bid to divert staff searching for such material.

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Dangerous prisoners are currently banned from leading Friday calls to prayer.

A report last year by terrorism legislation reviewer Jonathan Hall KC found that inmates promoting Islamist terrorism ‘boycott’ official Friday prayers in protest at the rules.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said: “Faith can play a vital part in prisoners’ rehabilitation but we must never tolerate terrorists who seek to exploit religious services to advance their own sinister agenda.

“These changes, alongside tougher sentences for terrorists who commit crimes behind bars and our work to separate more of the most radical terrorists, will better protect our hardworking staff, other prisoners and the public.”