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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - DUBAI/LONDON: Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary is currently facing more time in jail after being found guilty of managing a terrorist organization following a joint investigation by MI5, Scotland Yard, the New York Police department and the Canadian police.
The radical preacher was convicted on Tuesday at a trial in Woolwich Crown court on charges of directing Al-MuHajjiroun, or ALM, a banned group under UK terror laws, encouraging support for it online by releasing videos and assuming a “caretaker” role.
Choudary, 57, is known to have inspired a generation of jihadis, reveling in his title of “number one radicalizer in Britain” as he instructed his followers on ways to “terrorize the enemy.”
Dr. Shiraz Maher, from the department of war studies at King’s College London, said: “Anjem Choudary and his group, Al-MuHajjiroun, have a long history of inspiring acts of terrorism both at home and abroad. In fact, a number of people associated with his global network even migrated to Syria and joined Daesh, before commuting atrocities out there.
“It is hard to understate just how devastating the impact of Choudary’s influence, and the networks he created, has been. This trial also demonstrates the lengths to which he was prepared to go in order to continue sowing his destructive message, despite having been previously convicted for other terrorism offenses.”
Choudary’s notoriety earned him a place on Preachers of Hate, an Arab News series that named and shamed hate preachers from around the world and across religions, nationalities, genders and sects.
Choudary, who once trained as a lawyer, took on the “caretaker role” of the terror group in 2014 after its spiritual leader Omar Bakri Muhammad was jailed in Lebanon.
One of ALM’s original three founding members since its establishment in 2006, he was quoted at one of his lectures as saying: “The number one radicalizer in Britain, that is a badge of honor for me. It’s a medallion on my chest. What do you want to call me? An extremist? A fanatic? All of these.”
Choudary was previously imprisoned under a five-year sentence after rallying support for Daesh in October 2018. His release came with conditions preventing him from using the Internet until July 2021.
Concerns came from UK, the US and Canada after the preacher was found attempting to recruit a generation of young followers while releasing sermons online to a group called the Islamic Thinkers Society, or ITS, based in New York in June 2022.
Choudary went on to hold about 40 sermons for ITS up to April 2023.
What Choudary did not know was that ITS had been infiltrated by undercover law enforcement officers in the US who were present during his online classes, while British investigators bugged his home.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan counter terrorism command in the UK, said: “ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security.”
Rebecca Weiner, an NYPD commissioner, dubbed the case “historic” and described Choudary as a “shameless, prolific, radicalizer,” adding, “it is usually the foot soldiers who are brought into the network, who go on to commit the attacks who are brought to justice and it is rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment.”
Choudary will be sentenced alongside Khaled Hussein, a 29-year-old follower of Choudary and a member of ALM.
The pair became increasingly brazen online, working up “Twitter storms” where they posted and campaigned for the release of Islamist prisoners.
Choudary was careful not to be seen to promote and incite violence, while Hussein attempted to cover his digital tracks, but both men were already being monitored by Canadian and American officers attending the ITS sermons.
Choudary continued to downplay his importance, likening himself to a Liverpool football player at the witness box. “If you ask about Kevin Keegan, people say he plays football for Liverpool, people look at me and think Al-MuHajjiroun,” he said.
However, the prosecution team demonstrated to the judge and jurors that ALM had not been dissolved, as Choudary boasted about the group during his online sermons.
Choudary and Hussein’s fates will determined in court on July 30.
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