Anjem Choudary, a hate preacher who openly supported jihad, has been convicted of encouraging support for the Islamic State group. The conviction came in July but details were only made public this week after legal restrictions were lifted. Along with co-defendant Mohammed Rahman, 33, Choudary was found guilty of terrorism offences, ending years of widespread bafflement over his avoidance of prison.
Choudary first gained prominence as a spokesman for al-Muhajiroun, a group founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad. Despite repeated claims of a “covenant of security” arguing that Britain should not be targeted, Choudary’s words and actions have been linked to terrorism involving over 100 people in the UK alone. Intelligence agencies across Europe described his groups as having an “explicitly violent ideology.”
The pattern of terrorism linked to Choudary is not seen as coincidental. Mohammed Junaid Babar, a terrorist-turned-supergrass, revealed that Bakri Muhammad had funded jihad, including money used to support fighters in Afghanistan. Al-Muhajiroun disbanded in 2004 but re-emerged under different names, with Choudary as its de facto leader.
Choudary frequently courted publicity and evaded prosecution for years. In 2015, he claimed he was engaged in a “verbal jihad” and questioned why he wasn’t arrested if he had inspired 500 people. Within the Muslim community, some suspected he was a spy or informant due to his continued freedom. Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism chief described Choudary as “a very clever individual.”
