Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Radical cleric Anjem Choudary charged with terror offences

The radical preacher Anjem Choudary has been arrested and charged with inviting support for Islamic State militants, Scotland Yard has confirmed.

He is accused of "inviting support" for so-called Islamic State , also known as ISIL, between 29th June 2014 and 6th March this year.

He and another man, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, have each been charged with one offence under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Both men were due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Choudary, 48, of Ilford in east London, and Mohammed Rahman, 32, of Whitechapel in east London, were arrested on 25th September last year on suspicion of being members of IS, which is a proscribed organisation.

Proscription means membership of the militant group is a criminal offence, and that the organisation cannot lawfully operate in the UK.

Sue Hemming, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said, "It is alleged that Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman invited support for ISIS [also known as IS or ISIL] in individual lectures which were subsequently published online."

Choudary smirked as he arrived at Southwark police station on Wednesday to answer bail. He was charged shortly afterwards and later taken to Westminster Magistrates Court.

Following the announcement that criminal proceedings had begun, the CPS spokesperson said that both men were entitled to a fair trial. "It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings," she said

[BBC / Sky News / Daily Mail / Telegraph / Guardian / Fox News]

tvnewswatch, London, UK

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