Anjem Choudary: Preacher guilty of directing banned terror group

Extremist preacher Anjem Choudary has been convicted of leading a banned group under UK terrorism laws and promoting support for it on the internet.

Choudary could spend the rest of his life in jail after being found guilty on Tuesday of playing a key role in the extremist organization al-Muhajiroun.

He was also convicted of being part of a forbidden group after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

Law enforcement officials stated that Choudary led the group for a long time starting in 2014 and promoted backing for it through virtual gatherings.

In court, Choudary stated that he was part of the original trio who founded al-Muhajiroun.

The accusers claimed that he was still seen as the head of the group as recently as July 2023, giving speeches on the internet to a branch in the United States known as the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).

The team was secretly monitored by undercover police officers in the United States, who attended virtual classes in 2022 and 2023.

During the trial, it was revealed that Choudary expressed pride in being labeled an extremist, considering it a badge of honor, while delivering speeches.

The guilty verdict came after British, American, and Canadian officials conducted a thorough investigation into Al-Muhajiroun.

Police officers looking into Choudary searched through many hours of audio and video recordings and reviewed more than 16,000 documents to establish the connections between al-Muhajiroun, ITS, and Choudary, according to investigators.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the counter-terrorism unit at the Met, stated that al-Muhajiroun has spread its presence worldwide and has greatly affected public safety and security.

He stated that individuals have carried out terrorist attacks or journeyed for terrorist reasons due to Choudary's influence in radicalizing them.

Viewed as a group that promotes extreme beliefs rather than a violent group, al-Muhajiroun was established in the United Kingdom in 1996.

The government prohibited it for the first time in 2006 with the label Al Ghurabaa. In 2010, al-Muhajiroun was also added to the list of banned names.

The team worked for many years to convince others to follow their extreme beliefs in Islam and they wanted to create a caliphate governed by Sharia law. Authorities have stated that around 600 individuals have been associated with the group during this time.

Individuals affiliated with al-Muhajiroun have been connected to incidents that authorities have deemed to be acts of terrorism.

In 2017, a trio of assailants carried out a deadly attack on London Bridge, claiming the lives of eight individuals. The group was reportedly led by a former member. Similarly, earlier that year, a man with ties to the same group was responsible for the killing of five individuals at Westminster Bridge.

In 2019, a different individual tragically took the lives of two people at Fishmongers Hall in London.

The group became well-known for their deliberately shocking displays and attention-grabbing pranks, where they would show support for the 9/11 attacks or disrupt military funerals. These actions were often covered in the news.

Following the ban in 2010, al-Muhajiroun frequently altered its name. Choudary revealed in a secret audio recording played during his trial that the group had used over 50 different aliases throughout its existence.

Choudary, a 57-year-old man from Ilford in east London, was taken into custody on July 17, 2023.

Video of his arrest, shared by the police department after he was found guilty, showed officers forcibly entering his home at 5:30am to apprehend him.

Choudary was locked up in 2016 for promoting backing for the Islamic State group and set free in 2018. He informed the jury in his trial that following his release, he had been working hard to spread the message of Islam.

One of his followers, Khaled Hussein, 29, from Edmonton, Canada, was also convicted of being a part of al-Muhajiroun. He was arrested at Heathrow Airport on the identical day as Choudary.

Commander Murphy stated that the legal charge used against Choudary was uncommon in the UK and a notable achievement.

He mentioned that the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism division is noticing a growing number of young individuals appearing in their investigation files.

Bethan David, leader of the Crown Prosecution Service department that deals with terrorism cases, stated: "It is obvious that both individuals were associated with al-Muhajiroun and both individuals held extreme beliefs."

This group has been prohibited in the UK since 2010 due to the risk it presents. The extreme beliefs it holds are a danger to our community, and I am relieved that the jury convicted them for their unlawful actions.

Both individuals will receive their punishment on 30 July.