British preacher Anjem Choudary, 57, has been convicted by a London jury of directing a terrorist group. The radical Muslim group he was found guilty of being a member of, al-Muhajiroun (ALM), was banned by the British government in 2010 for its involvement in terrorism-related activities.
Choudary was accused of drumming up support for ALM and promoting its extremist ideologies. Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Dominic Murphy highlighted the global impact of ALM's activities on public safety and security, attributing terrorist attacks and travel for terrorist purposes to Choudary's radicalizing influence.
Prosecutor Tom Little described Choudary as having a 'warped and twisted mindset' and noted that he took over leadership of ALM after its founder, Omar Bakri Muhammad, was imprisoned in Lebanon.
Choudary, who had previously been convicted of supporting the Islamic State group, denied promoting ALM during the trial, claiming the group no longer exists. However, prosecutors argued that ALM operated under various names, including the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society, which Choudary had addressed.
New York Police Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner emphasized the significance of Choudary's conviction, noting that leaders of extremist groups are rarely brought to justice compared to their followers who carry out attacks.
Choudary's follower, Khaled Hussein, 29, from Edmonton, Canada, was also found guilty of membership in a proscribed organization. Both were arrested at Heathrow Airport a year ago, and their sentencing is scheduled for July 30.
