The Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has been found guilty of directing the terrorist group al-Muhajiroun (ALM) and drumming up cross-border support for the banned organisation online.
After a trial at Woolwich crown court in south London, Choudary was convicted of having a “caretaker role” in directing ALM.
Prosecutors said Choudary directed the terrorist organisation for a significant period of time from 2014 onwards and encouraged support for the group by addressing online meetings of the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS).
The 57-year-old, of Ilford in east London, gave lectures to ITS, which prosecutors said was “the same” as ALM.
Choudary came as close to becoming a household name as an extremist can get in the UK through his media appearances and controversial actions such as protesting at UK soldiers’ funerals. Security experts have claimed Choudary influenced dozens of British jihadists.
But the trained solicitor’s apparent ability to act just within the bounds of the law ended in 2016 when he was convicted of supporting Islamic State and he served half of a six-month prison sentence before being released on licence.
Choudary’s licence conditions expired in July 2021 and it was nearly a year later in June 2022 when he hosted his first online lecture for ITS. He went on to hold about 40 lectures or classes for the group until April 2023.
But unknown to Choudary, ITS was infiltrated by undercover law enforcement officers in the US, who were present at online lectures in 2022 and 2023, held over the Element messaging platform.
ALM was proscribed as a terror organisation in the UK in 2010, though it was said in court that the group had continued to exist under various names.
The conviction followed investigations by the Metropolitan police, the New York police department (NYPD), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Cmdr 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, Murphy added: “ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security.”
Rebecca Weiner, an NYPD deputy commissioner, said it was a “historic case”, describing Choudary as a “shameless, prolific radicaliser”.
She added: “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.”
Omar Bakri Muhammad, who founded ALM, was in prison in Lebanon between 2014 and March 2023, and Choudary stepped in and “filled the void”, the court heard.
Khaled Hussein, 29, who prosecutors said was a “follower and dedicated supporter” of Choudary, was also found guilty of membership of ALM.
Choudary was convicted of directing a terrorist organisation and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation. He and Hussein will be sentenced on 30 July.
