Anjem Choudary: Radical preacher jailed for life

Anjem Choudary, the head of the outlawed organization al-Muhajiroun, has been sentenced to life in prison, and it is possible that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

The radical religious leader was convicted of leading the group, which is prohibited under UK anti-terrorism laws, and promoting backing for it via virtual gatherings.

This means he will not be eligible for parole until he is older than 85 years.

Choudary looked surprised and unsteady on his feet in the courtroom as he was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years at Woolwich Crown Court.

He was found guilty last week of leading a terrorist group after a sophisticated operation that involved law enforcement officials and investigators in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

In his statement, Judge Wall described Choudary's group as a extreme organization with the goal of promoting sharia law through violence on a global scale.

Choudary, known for radicalizing individuals in the UK, was apprehended following a covert global probe which uncovered that the banned al-Muhajiroun group he led was still active in 2021. The group was attempting to attract new members under a different name in North America.

Al-Muhajiroun, a group that formed in the late 1990s, has been connected to many terrorist attacks, with its members carrying out violent acts in different countries.

Choudary has been central to the group from its inception and took over as head in 2014 when the original leader was imprisoned in Lebanon.

The 57-year-old was put in jail for trying to improve the network in 2021, following his release from a five-and-a-half-year prison term for urging his followers to back Islamic State militants in Syria.

After he was no longer constrained by that restriction, Choudary started giving virtual talks to his supporters in North America.

However, he was unaware that his online presentations endorsing terrorist beliefs had been infiltrated by undercover agents from Canadian and US security agencies.

Judge Wall stated that in around 30 talks, Choudary motivated individuals from the "Islamic Thinkers Society" - a hidden name for the al-Muhajiroun group - to engage in aggressive public preaching and violent actions.

The judge stated that Choudary attempted to hide these encouragements as teachings in Islamic theology. He also mentioned that Choudary was aware that members of the group would commit violent acts, even if he himself was not directly participating.

"Groups like yours make violence seem acceptable when trying to achieve a certain belief," stated the judge.

"They create divisions among people who would otherwise peacefully coexist. Your actions were highly blameworthy."

Looking back at the group's past, the judge mentioned that Choudary had followers like Siddhartha Dhar, an important member who joined the Islamic State group in Syria and killed their prisoners.

In a more recent event, in the year 2023, two siblings from Birmingham were imprisoned after confessing they had intentions to join the Afghanistan division of the Islamic State group. One of them, Muhammad Hamza Heyder Khan, had mentioned Choudary as a source of motivation.

The judge said he is confident that you will keep spreading your message of hate and division if given the chance in the future. He believes nothing can stop you from following that path.

Your ability to plan and speak well is what makes you a threat, rather than your tendency towards physical violence. I don't see a time in the future where you won't be a danger in that sense.

Choudary's accomplice, Canadian Khaled Hussein, was found guilty of belonging to al-Muhajiroun and sentenced to five years in prison. He will also spend an extra year on probation once he is released.

In the beginning of the trial, Paul Hynes KC, representing Choudary, stated that regardless of the jury's decision, al-Muhajiroun was not similar to al-Qaeda or Islamic State.

He mentioned that all we have now are complicated theological talks that are not easy to understand.

"We believe the court cannot determine that Mr. Choudary was successful in attracting large crowds. The organization was ultimately unsuccessful."