International counter terrorism investigation leads to Anjem Choudary conviction
A global police investigation, with help from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) and law enforcement agencies in North America, has led to the sentencing of the extremist preacher Anjem Choudary for leading a prohibited terrorist organization.
The collaborative investigation on Choudary by the Met Police and MI5 received support from the NYPD and the RCMP.
Anjem Choudary, aged 57, from East London
Following a trial that lasted six weeks at Woolwich Crown Court, Choudary, aged 57 (born on January 18, 1976), from east London, was convicted on Tuesday, July 23 of leading a terrorist group, being a member of a banned group, and promoting assistance for a terrorist group.
Khaleed Hussein, a 29-year-old man from Edmonton, Canada, was convicted of being a member of a banned group.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, stated:
These guilty judgments are the outcome of exceptional effort from Counter Terrorism police and MI5 in the UK, as well as undercover officers in the US and Canada. With the collaboration of the Crown Prosecution Service, we were able to collect convincing information and evidence to demonstrate that Choudary was leading the ALM terrorist group and urging others to join.
Choudary is facing a long prison term. I believe that his convictions have made communities in London, as well as throughout the UK and beyond, much safer.
Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland, who is in charge of the Northwest Region at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, stated:
This research showcases the importance of sharing information and working together between countries to prevent the growth of extremist and radical ideas online.
This serves as a reminder that extremism can spread in any place and we all need to stay alert.
Khaleed Hussein, a 29-year-old resident of Edmonton, Canada
The Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the NYPD, Rebecca Ulam Weiner, stated:
Anjem Choudary spent many years influencing people to become more extreme in their beliefs all over the world. He has finally been held accountable for his actions, thanks to the continuous teamwork among various agencies and countries.
In today's world without borders, keeping the public safe requires a high level of collaboration, like the teamwork seen in this groundbreaking investigation. The NYPD is thankful for the hard work of our colleagues at Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, and RCMP who played a key role in bringing this case to a successful end.
In July 2021, the terms of Choudary's license, which were connected to his previous conviction for terrorism in 2016, came to an end. Authorities grew more worried that he would return to terrorist actions.
The inquiry into Choudary ended with his apprehension nearly two years afterwards. Detectives in London were able to gather evidence that Choudary was leading the banned terror group Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) through online lectures with followers in New York, thanks to information provided by the CTC and colleagues from the NYPD and RCMP.
CTC investigators were informed about Choudary's involvement with the "Islamic Thinkers Society" when the NYPD reached out to them in Fall 2021 regarding an undercover operation they were conducting on ITS.
Investigators collaborated with police officers from the NYPD to gather information about the group and determine Choudary's growing level of participation.
In May 2022, CTC investigators received more information from the RCMP about their investigation into a Canadian man named Khaled Hussein. An undercover RCMP officer had been communicating with Hussein and discovered another link between Hussein and Choudary in London.
Rebecca Ulam Weiner, the Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the NYPD, is pictured on the left in the photo. Lisa Moreland, the Regional Commander for the Northwest Region of the RCMP, is seen on the right.
Reports from Canada demonstrated that Hussein was essentially serving as Choudary's personal aide. Hussein assisted in organizing online lectures with fellow extremists and also worked on editing Choudary's extremist blogs and publications.
In the following months, the investigation team collected information, intelligence, and evidence that suggested the ITS group in New York was linked to the banned terrorist organization ALM.
Vital information was found by undercover police officers from the NYPD and RCMP, proving a clear connection between ALM and ITS. In a message sent to the Canadian officer, Hussein referred to ITS as "Al-Muhajiroun". The evidence from the NYPD officers also revealed that Choudary was conducting lectures for the ITS group through encrypted channels.
During this time, the police and MI5 gathered additional information and proof within the UK. Additionally, officers made trips to the US and Canada to ensure crucial evidence could be obtained for use in the UK.
Head, has warned the public of potential terrorist threats ahead of the upcoming holiday season. In a recent statement, Murphy emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity to authorities. He also urged the public to be aware of their surroundings and take precautions when attending crowded events. Additionally, Murphy stressed the need for communities to work together to prevent and respond to potential threats.
Overall, the officers searched through hundreds of hours of audio and video content and evaluated over 16,000 documents. They went through more than ten years of material to find and confirm the connections between ALM, ITS, and Choudary.
In the audio content, there were secret recordings of Choudary talking with his wife about being part of ALM activities. There was also a recording of a conversation between Choudary and Omar Bakri Muhammad, the previous leader of ALM.
Bakri and Choudary talked about what different people who used to be connected to ALM were up to. Choudary even admitted that he became the leader of ALM in 2014 while Bakri was in jail for terrorism in Lebanon.
Information collected by the investigative team revealed that the ALM group had been promoting and helping individuals to join and fight for Daesh for the last ten years. It was also found that Choudary was now trying to sway and radicalize a new wave of extremists to back terrorist activities globally.
In July 2023, UK police found out from an undercover Canadian officer that Hussein was going to meet with Choudary in London. Police then acted quickly to arrest both men. Hussein was taken into custody on 17 July, 2023 when he arrived in London from Canada, while Choudary was arrested earlier that morning.
After further investigation while in police custody, the two individuals were officially charged on 23 July, 2023. They were found guilty as mentioned and are scheduled to be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 30 July.
