- Anjem Choudary sentenced to life for terrorism
- Led ALM, linked to 21 terror plots
- Police in UK, US, Canada investigated recruiting
Police in Britain, the United States, and Canada conducted separate investigations after becoming concerned that Anjem Choudary was attempting to recruit a new generation of followers.
Anjem Choudary has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 28 years for leading a terrorist propaganda network that encouraged assaults and promoted themes of “hate and division.”
Choudary, 57, of Ilford, East London, helped establish al-Muhajiroun (ALM) in 1996 and has spent over 30 years running its operations under various identities, including Islam4UK and Muslims Against Crusades.
Members have been linked to at least 21 distinct terrorist schemes and senior members, Siddhartha Dhar and Reza Haque, traveled to Syria to join an IS execution squad.
Choudary worked with Woolwich killer Michael Adebolajo, London Bridge terrorist Khuram Butt, and Fishmongers’ Hall attacker Usman Khan.
He hailed the 9/11 attacks as a “towering day in history” and spent most of his time accusing fellow Muslims of being apostates for voting or participating in democratic institutions.
Choudary appeared in court three at Woolwich Crown Court, wearing a white t-shirt and standing with his hands in his pockets, as he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 28 years.
Mr Justice Wall told Choudary that his views were “entrenched and abhorrent to most right-thinking people” and that he would continue to disseminate his “message of hate and division” if allowed to.
Choudary ‘front and center’ in the organization
Choudary, according to the judge, was “front and center” in an organization designed to incite and assist acts of terrorism, and he aimed to nurture young people into your way of thinking.
It was impossible to say which individual terrorist attacks he encouraged. Still, Choudary directed an organization that was “determined to support and encourage those who carried out such activities” and “ran the risk of causing or contributing to the deaths of very many people.
The judge stated that organizations like yours normalize violence in the pursuit of an ideological cause. Their existence inspires others to do things they would not accomplish otherwise. They create barriers between people who would otherwise be able and willing to coexist peacefully.
The group’s head, Omar Bakri Muhammad, referred to the 7/7 attackers as the “fantastic four” before fleeing the UK in August 2005, claiming to have shut down the outfit nine months previously.
When Bakri was imprisoned in Lebanon in May 2014, Choudary took over as commander but was caught and imprisoned four months later for promoting support for ISIL.
His license conditions ended in July 2021, and he began attempting to rebuild the organization. In one year, he presented over 40 lectures to audiences of up to 150 people worldwide and connected directly with recruits as young as 14 via WhatsApp and Telegram.
Officers from many countries conducted different investigations.
Police in Britain, the United States, and Canada had launched separate investigations after becoming concerned that Choudary was attempting to recruit a new generation of younger followers.
Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner of the New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed how the department dispatched its “crown jewel” undercover investigators to London to testify against Choudary, a “shamelessly prolific radicalizer.”
The NYPD had assigned two undercover agents, OP488 and OP377, to the Islamic Thinkers Society’s branch in New York.
In his first address, which NYPD undercover detectives videotaped on June 12, 2022, Choudary boasted that “so many people became shaheed alhamdulillah” [martyrs, bless God].
He claimed to have been labeled “the number one radicaliser in Britain,” adding, “That is a badge of honour for me.” There’s a medallion on my chest. What would you want to call me? An extremist? Fanatic? “All of this.”
In another video on June 26, Choudary said, “You know, we always manage to avoid prosecution.” You know that no one has ever been prosecuted in this nation for being a member of al-Muhajiroun.
In a discussion with members of the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS) on March 26, last year, he advised them to set up a series of different “platforms,” adding: “We ended up having loads of them – if you look in the Terrorist Act they listed about 15 of them – there’s another 45 we used to use, so this is just a style and means, brother.”
Jihad is obligatory upon us.
He also pushed supporters to “fight the crusaders” and warned them on February 19, 2017, “There’s no doubt, jihad is obliged upon us.
A week later, on February 26, Choudary asked his audience, “Is terrorism part of the deen [faith]?” Yes, even more; it is part of the deen to horrify the people.”
MI5 had bugged Choudary’s home, and on March 22, last year, he discussed it with his wife, Rubina Akhtar. He informed her: “That impact is there—al-Muhajiroun has gone down in history, which is why they say 40% of anything related to us. “The impact was phenomenal and global.
The statistic is a reference to a Wikipedia item for Choudary.
On April 30, last year, the covert listening devices picked up Choudary updating Bakri, who had just been released from jail, on the group’s members and seeking guidance on their future steps.
He discussed his function as Bakri’s “naqib” [deputy] and his transition to “caretaker emir” [leader] status.
Khalid Hussein, 29, an ITS member living in Edmonton, Canada, who idolized Choudary, assisted him in running al-Aseer [the captives], an online journal.
Hussein, who worked at a Co-Op gas station and convenience store, messaged Choudary on July 16, last year, to arrange to meet him in Turkey on his way from London to meet a Russian bride.
Choudary responded with tips on the top tourist attractions in south London, such as the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Park, and “quaint shopping nearby.”
“Seize the opportunity: Sign up for Webull UK and receive free shares!”
He commented, “You are also not too far from Woolwich – the famous Lee Rigby issue.”
Choudary was arrested when Hussein came from Canada on July 17, last year.
When questioned by authorities, he stated that his lectures had nothing to do with al-Muhajiroun, adding: “When I say ‘we’ or ‘we,’ I am always talking about myself, my experience, and individuals in the UK. I never address them with those pronouns.”
Choudary was found guilty of leading a terrorist organization and inciting support for a banned organization.
Hussein was sentenced to five years after being found guilty of membership in a prohibited organization.
Commander Dominic Murphy, the chief of Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command, stated: “For almost 30 years, Anjem Choudary has been a consistent presence in counter-terrorism.
His influence as a radicalizer is widely known. Still, the reality of that impact around the world is that some people have carried out terrorist operations or traveled for terrorist reasons as a result of Anjem Choudary’s radicalizing influence on them, he continued.
