‘Historic’ Counter Terrorism investigation leads to life sentence for Anjem Choudary

A world police investigation involving the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) working with legislation enforcement from North America has led to the jailing of the unconventional preacher Anjem Choudary for steering a banned terrorist group.

The joint-Met Police and MI5 investigation into Choudary was assisted by the New York Police Division (NYPD) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

After a six-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court docket, Choudary, 58 (18.01.76), of east London, was discovered responsible on Tuesday, 23 July, of directing a terrorist organisation, membership of a proscribed organisation and inspiring assist for a terrorist organisation.

Choudary was sentenced on the similar courtroom on Tuesday, 30 July to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimal of 28 years (much less time already served on remand). Choudary may also be topic to notification necessities for 30 years.

Khaleed Hussein, 29 (17.03.95), of Edmonton, Canada was additionally discovered responsible of membership of a proscribed organisation. He was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment with an extra 12 months on licence and will likely be topic to notification necessities for 15 years.

After passing the sentences, the Choose counseled officers within the UK, US and Canada for his or her work on this investigation.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, mentioned:

“These convictions come because of some really outstanding work – not solely right here within the UK by Counter Terrorism police and our colleagues in MI5, but additionally from the extremely courageous work of undercover officers each within the US and Canada.

“The data and proof we have been in a position to collect, all whereas working intently with the Crown Prosecution Service, meant we have been in a position to construct a really sturdy case to show Choudary was directing the ALM terrorist group and inspiring others to hitch them.

“I’ve little doubt that these convictions and the ensuing sentences have left communities right here in London, and in addition proper throughout the UK and past, a lot safer.”

Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland, Regional Commander for the Northwest Area on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, mentioned:

“This investigation is really an instance of how info, intelligence sharing and collaboration between international locations is important in stopping the unfold of on-line extremism and radicalization.

“It serves as a reminder that extremism can take maintain wherever and that we should all stay vigilant.”

New York Metropolis Police Division Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Ulam Weiner mentioned:

“Anjem Choudary spent a long time radicalizing people world wide and has now been delivered to justice due to relentless collaboration throughout a number of companies and international locations.

“In at the moment’s borderless world, public security calls for the extent of teamwork that outlined this historic investigation. The NYPD is deeply grateful to our companions at Counter Terrorism Policing, MI5, and RCMP for his or her tireless efforts that introduced this case to its profitable conclusion.”

In July 2021, licence circumstances linked to Choudary’s earlier terrorism conviction in 2016 expired, and officers grew to become more and more involved that he would re-engage with terrorist exercise.

The investigation into Choudary culminated in his arrest nearly two years later. It was due to info offered to the CTC by colleagues from the NYPD after which additionally the RCMP that detectives in London have been in a position to piece collectively proof that Choudary was working and directing what was in-effect the banned terror group Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) by way of on-line lectures with followers primarily based in New York.

CTC detectives have been alerted to the very fact Choudary was turning into concerned in a bunch referred to as the “Islamic Thinkers Society” when the NYPD contacted them in Autumn 2021 in relation to an undercover investigation they have been finishing up into ITS.

Detectives right here labored intently with colleagues from the NYPD to construct an image of the group and establish how Choudary was turning into more and more concerned.

In Might 2022, CTC detectives have been additional contacted by colleagues within the RCMP, who have been additionally investigating a Canadian referred to as Khaled Hussein. An undercover officer from the RCMP was in contact with Hussein and had recognized an additional connection between Hussein and Choudary in London.

Proof from Canada confirmed how Hussein was successfully appearing as a private assistant to Choudary. Hussein helped him host on-line lectures with different extremists and edited extremist on-line blogs and publications for Choudary.

Khaled Hussein

Over the succeeding months, info, intelligence and proof was gathered collectively by the investigation crew, which constructed an image that the ITS group in New York was a continuation and extension of the proscribed terrorist organisation ALM.

Essential proof was recognized from each NYPD and RCMP undercover officers, which confirmed the express hyperlink between ALM and ITS. In a single voice notice despatched to the Canadian officer, Hussein described ITS as “being Al-Muhajiroun”. Proof from the NYPD officers additionally confirmed how Choudary was internet hosting and working lectures for the ITS group by way of encrypted platforms.

Within the meantime, police and MI5 continued to collect different intelligence and proof right here within the UK and officers additionally travelled to the US and Canada to make sure key proof could possibly be secured to be used within the UK.

In whole, officers trawled by means of 100s of hours of audio and video content material and assessed over 16,000 paperwork, working by means of greater than a decade of fabric to establish and show the hyperlinks between ALM, ITS and Choudary.

Among the many audio content material have been covert recordings from Choudary’s tackle, the place he was heard having conversations together with his spouse about being concerned in ALM exercise, and in addition captured a dialog between Choudary and Omar Bakri Muhammad – the previous chief of ALM.

Bakri and Choudary mentioned the actions of varied individuals who had former hyperlinks to ALM and crucially, Choudary additionally confirmed throughout one dialog that he had taken the function of main ALM as its “caretaker emir” in 2014 whereas Bakri had been imprisoned for terrorism offences in Lebanon.

Proof gathered by the investigation crew additionally confirmed how, over the previous decade, the ALM group had inspired and assisted varied folks in becoming a member of and preventing for Daesh and that Choudary was now in search of to affect and radicalise a brand new era of extremists and encourage them to go and assist terrorist causes world wide.

In July 2023, UK detectives grew to become conscious by way of the undercover RCMP officer that Hussein deliberate to go to Choudary in London, and officers moved to arrest the pair. Hussein was arrested on 17 July, 2023 as he arrived on a flight into London from Canada with Choudary arrested earlier that morning.

After finishing up extra enquiries whereas they have been in police custody, the pair have been charged on 23 July, 2023. They have been discovered subsequently discovered responsible at Woolwich Crown Court docket and each sentenced as above.