Islamist hate preacher Anjem Choudary found guilty of directing terrorist organisation

An Islamist preacher has been found guilty of directing a terrorist organisation and encouraging support for it through online meetings.

Following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Anjem Choudary was convicted on Tuesday of taking a “caretaker role” in directing Al-Muhajiroun (ALM).

Prosecutors said Choudary directed the terrorist organisation for a significant period of time from 2014 onwards and also encouraged support for the group by addressing online meetings of the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).

The 57-year-old, of Ilford, east London, gave lectures to the New York-based ITS, which prosecutors said was “the same” as ALM.

ALM was proscribed as a terror organisation in the UK in 2010, though it was said in court that the group has continued to exist under various names.

Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, said: “There are individuals that have conducted terrorist attacks or travelled for terrorist purposes as a result of Anjem Choudary’s radicalising impact upon them.”

During a press conference, Commander Murphy added: “ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security.”

The conviction followed investigations by the Metropolitan Police, the New York Police Department (NYPD) in the US, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner said it was a “historic case”, describing Choudary as a “shameless, prolific radicalizer”.

Deputy Commissioner Weiner said: “It is usually the foot soldiers, the individuals who are brought into the network who go on to commit the attacks who are brought to justice.

“And it’s rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment.”

She said that ITS was “ALM’s US base branch”, adding that “names may have changed, years may have passed, but the threat really remained constant.”

One senior security official said: “Today’s conviction is a significant moment.

“The evidence presented in court showed Choudary’s continued involvement in supporting terrorism and radicalising others. Putting a stop to ALM radicalisation has been a key objective of the counter-terrorism community for some years, and this verdict builds on a range of actions that have made it difficult for ALM to operate.

“This investigation is a great example of domestic and international partners tackling terrorism – an approach that is vital when disrupting today’s online and internationally connected threat.”

Omar Bakri Muhammad, who founded ALM, was in prison in Lebanon between 2014 and March 2023, and Choudary stepped in and “filled the void”, Prosecutor Tom Little KC said.

The court heard that Choudary, whose licence conditions expired in July 2021 following his 2018 release from prison, said he viewed being called an extremist or fanatic as a “medallion” during lectures.

Commander Murphy said: “What became clear after his licence conditions was that he saw the online space as a means of engaging globally with larger groups of people.

“And what was clear to us was that increasingly there were a larger number of people that were willing to engage with Anjem Choudary online and he was having an influence over those individuals.”

Khaled Hussein, 29, whom prosecutors said was a “follower and dedicated supporter” of Choudary, was also found guilty of membership of ALM.

Choudary was arrested in east London on July 17 of last year while Hussein, from Edmonton in Canada, was detained at Heathrow Airport having arrived on a flight the same day.

Choudary was convicted of directing a terrorist organisation and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation.

They will be sentenced on July 30 at the same court.