Vile hate preacher Anjem Choudary jailed for life after masterminding banned terror group

VILE hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been jailed for life after masterminding a banned terror group.

The notorious cleric boasted he was the “number one radicaliser in Britain” after adopting a “care-taker role” in al-Muhajiroun (ALM).

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ALM’s original leader Omar Bakri Muhammad had fled to Lebanon after the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.

Choudary has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 28 years after being found guilty of membership of a proscribed organisation following a trial.

He was also convicted of directing ALM, which he helped set up in 1996.

Mr Justice Mark Wall told Choudary he was “front and centre in running a terrorist organisation”.

He also said that he “encouraged young men into radical activity”.

Woolwich Crown Court heard Choudary changed the name of the group numerous to circumvent anti-terror laws when it was banned in 2010.

He directed the outlawed organisation for a significant period of time after 2014 and drummed up global support for it by addressing online meetings.

This included him bragging that he viewed being branded an extremist as a “medallion” during lectures.

He also joked about charging £9.11 to enter a press conference on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The trained solicitor attempted to encourage support for the group using the name the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).

But undercover officers in the US infiltrated the organisation and attended online lectures.

They worked with law enforcement in both the UK and Canada to snare Choudary – trawling through hundreds of hours of audio and video content.

Officers also examined over 16,000 documents to prove the link between ALM, ITS and the hate preacher.

Choudary was arrested in east London on July 17 of last year alongside accomplice and “dedicated supporter” Khaled Hussein.

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Bodycam footage showed police bursting through his front door in Ilford, East London.

Choudary could be heard asking “oh my god… what are you doing?” as he was led into another room.

He was later led out his home before being placed handcuffed in the back of a police car.

During his trial, Choudary claimed al-Muhajiroun had been disbanded in 2004, but added: “It is the Kevin Keegan effect. If you ask people about Kevin Keegan, people say he played football for Liverpool.

“They look at me as al-Muhajiroun.”

But Tom Little KC, prosecuting, told the court: “Leopards don’t change their spots and Anjem Choudary has not changed his mindset.”

Choudary was previously locked up for encouraging support for ISIS in 2016 before being released two years later.

He has known links with numerous terrorists, including Lee Rigby ‘s killer Michael Adebolajo and Khuram Butt – the leader of the London Bridge attacks.

Choudary even performed a wedding ceremony for Adebolajo and was present when he converted to Islam before the attack.

Over a 30-year span, Choudary raked in benefits as he drummed up support for known terrorists and advocated for violence.

Among his followers was Usman Khan, who killed two students at Fishmongers’ Hall in November 2019.

Siddhartha Dhar, who shot a prisoner in the back of the head after travelling to Syria to join ISIS, was also an associate.

Timeline of terror - how justice finally caught up with hate preacher

• May 2014

Omar Bakri Muhammad arrested in Lebanon. Anjem Choudary takes over as “caretaker” leader of ALM.

• September 2014

Choudary arrested on suspicion of encouraging support for the banned terrorist group Isis.

• July 2016

Choudary convicted alongside Mohammed Rahman for encouraging support for banned terror group Isis.

• October 2018

Choudary released from prison on licence.

• July 2021

Choudary’s licence conditions expire.

• August 18 2021

Choudary hosts Telegram Channel “Call to Islam” – 715 people subscribe to it.

• Late August/September 2021

Khaled Hussein, along with others linked to Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), begin social media campaign calling for Bakri Muhammad to be freed from custody in Lebanon.

• September 10 2021

Hussein sends message to Canadian undercover officer stating “The Islamic Thinkers Society are actually Al Muhajiroun North America”.

• October 2021

NYPD makes first contact with the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command in regard to ongoing investigation into ITS.

• November 17 2021

Hussein sends NYPD undercover officer a voice message which states that he is working for “Sheikh Anjem”.

• February 2022

Hussein meets Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) undercover officer and sends voice note stating ITS are the “remnants of Al-Muhajiroun”.

• Spring 2022

RCMP contacts the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command in relation to ongoing investigation into Hussein.

• June 12 2022

Choudary hosts first online lecture for ITS – attended by NYPD undercover officers. Choudary goes on to hold around 40 lectures or classes for ITS up until April 2023.

• October 2022

NYPD visits London and meets with the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command to discuss respective investigations and material.

• March 9 and 22 2023

Covert recordings of Choudary speaking with his wife discussing his involvement in ITS and ALM.

• March 26 2023

Further covert recording of Choudary speaking with other ITS leaders – Akbar Khattak and Abu Hamza.

• March 29 and 30 2023

Choudary sends a message to ITS group chat that Bakri Muhammad has been released from prison. Choudary begins sending Bakri Muhammad direct messages the next day.

• April 2 2023

Choudary hosts further online lecture with ITS which features Bakri Muhammad as a guest speaker.

• April 30 2023

Covert recording of a phone conversation between Choudary and Bakri Muhammad – within this Choudary confirms to Bakri Muhammad that he took over as “caretaker emir” for ALM.

• June/July 2023

Met Counter Terrorism Command officers visit the US and Canada to gather further evidence including geo-location restricted video of Choudary detailing his activities with ALM.

• June 30 2023

Hussein reveals to a Canadian undercover officer his plans to visit Choudary in London.

• July 17 2023

Choudary arrested at his address and Hussein arrested at Heathrow Airport as he arrives into the UK on a flight from Canada.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command, said: “This is the first time we have brought people together on a truly transnational terrorism investigation .”

He said Choudary had “been a pretty constant presence” for more than 30 years, adding: “His influence as a radicaliser is well-known.”

But Cdr Murphy said the global reality “is that there are individuals who have conducted terrorist attacks or travelled for terrorist purposes as a result of Choudary’s impact on them.”

He warned about “an increasingly large number” of young people – particularly teenage boys – being linked to terrorist investigations.

Cdr Murphy said: “It is deeply worrying and it’s something that we need to think about.

“Voices like Anjem Choudary and the reach of those online environments and secure apps, make it much easier to have an impact on younger people than perhaps we might have seen several years ago.”

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