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Radical UK cleric Anjem Choudary jailed for 5.5yrs for supporting ISIS | Radical UK cleric Anjem Choudary jailed for 5.5yrs for supporting ISIS |
(35 minutes later) | |
Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after being convicted of drumming up support for Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). | |
The 49-year-old British-born leader of outlawed group al-Muhajiroun posted a series of YouTube videos recognizing the “caliphate” created by IS in the territories of Iraq and Syria. | The 49-year-old British-born leader of outlawed group al-Muhajiroun posted a series of YouTube videos recognizing the “caliphate” created by IS in the territories of Iraq and Syria. |
At sentencing at the Old Bailey, Choudary and his co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, who received the same sentence, were found guilty of inviting support for IS between June 29, 2014 and March 6, 2015 and remanded into custody. | |
As Choudary was sentenced, his supporters in the public gallery shouted “Allahu Akbar.” | |
During the trial, Justice Holroyde said the pair failed to condemn the barbaric acts of IS. | |
“You did nothing to condemn any aspect of what ISIS was doing at the time. In that way you indirectly encouraged violent terrorist activity. | |
“You are both mature men and intelligent men who knew throughout exactly what you were doing. You are both fluent and persuasive speakers.” | |
He described Choudary as “calculating,” while Rahman was simply a “hothead,” albeit equally dangerous and remorseless. | |
Despite leading al-Muhajiroun, Choudary had kept on the right side of the law for 20 years. | |
However, his enthusiastic videos in support of IS gave police cause to arrest him under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. | |
Details of the case could not be reported until last month due to legal restrictions. | |
Choudary and his organization have been blamed by counter-terrorism experts for radicalizing hundreds of people, including Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who murdered soldier Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Royal Artillery Barracks in 2013. |