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Anjem Choudary: Radical London cleric is charged with 'inviting support for Isis'

Choudary and one other have been charged with supporting Isis through lectures published online

Hardeep Matharu

Thursday 06 August 2015 10:41 BST

Anjem Choudary (GETTY)

The radical cleric Anjem Choudary has been charged with inviting support for the terrorist group Isis.

Choudary, 48, of, Ilford, east London, has been charged with committing the alleged offence between 29 June last year and 6 March.

Mohammed Rahman, 32, of Whitechapel, east London, has been charged with committing the same alleged offence in the same time frame.

They are accused with inviting support for the banned terrorist organisation through lectures which were published online.

The Met Police have said both men have been detained in custody and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court at 2pm today.

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UK terror plots that were foiled by security services

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Lewis Ludlow was jailed for life in March 2019 for planning a 'spectacular multi-victim attack' on Oxford Street in London. He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last year to plotting an attack in the UK and funding Isis abroad

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Rosie Cooper MP plot

Jack Renshaw admitted plotting to kill his local Labour MP with a machete in June 2018. Renshaw bought a 19in machete intending to use it to kill Rosie Cooper, MP for West Lancashire. His plan was foiled by whistleblower Robbie Mullen, who heard of the plot in a meeting of alleged and convicted National Action members in the Friar Penketh pub in Warrington

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'Poppy terror plot'

Nadir Ali Sayed, his cousin Yousaf Shah Syed, and Haseeb Hamayoon, were charged with terrorism offences over an alleged plot to behead a member of public. The trio were arrested in London and High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire on 6 November - three days before Remembrance Sunday in 2014

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National Action arrests

Following the arrest of six men in 2018 on suspicion that they were members of the banned far-right terror group National Action, two were jailed. Christopher Lythgoe was found to be leader of the banned group and jailed for eight years, while Matthew Hankinson was jailed for six years. While it was found that Lythgoe did not encourage Jack Renshaw's plot to kill a Labour MP, the judge noted that he "did nothing to stop or discourage" the attack

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Shane Fletcher

A self-described 'loner', Fletcher planned to kill members of the public at a football match in his home town of Workington. He had been referred to the government's Prevent programme nine moths prior to his arrest after stating that he dreamed about "shooting up a mosque"

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Heathrow airport arrests

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South East Counter Terrorism Unit arrests

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October 2014 arrests

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Anjem Choudary arrest

Anjem Choudary, the radical activist and co-founder of the banned al-Muhajiroun group, was arrested in September 2014 as efforts intensify to disrupt the ideological backers of young British Muslims travelling to fight in foreign conflicts. Mr Choudary was among nine men held on suspicion of supporting a banned terrorist group and encouraging terrorism. The arrests came shortly after Mr Choudary fired off a series of angry tweets after David Cameron called on MPs to back air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria

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North West Counter Terrorism Unit funds seizing

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Tarik Hassane arrest

A medical student who was offered a place at a London university has been named among four men who are being questioned by counter-terror police after a series of raids across the capital. Tarik Hassane, 21, is believed to have been Tasered when he was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a "significant" Islamist terror plot on 7 October 2015

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Radical preacher Abu Qatada will not be returning to the UK after being cleared of terror charges in Jordan in 2013

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Haider Ahmed knife plot

Teenage Isis supporter Haider Ahmed purchased a 15ins hunting knife and threatened to launch a stabbing attack on the Tube. Prosecutors said he may alternatively have been planning to rob someone with the weapon to fund his travel to fight for Isis in Syria He was jailed for preparing an act of terrorism in June 2019

Counter Terrorism Policing South East

A police spokesman said the men were arrested by the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command (SO15) on suspicion of being members of the proscribed organisation on 25 September last year.

They have remained on police bail throughout the investigation.

Both Choudary and Rahman have been charged under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Sue Hemming, Head of Special Crime and Counter Terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, we have today authorised charges against Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Mizanur Rahman.

“We have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to prosecute Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman for inviting support for ISIL, a proscribed terrorist organisation, between 29 June 2014 and 6 March this year.

"Each man is charged with one offence contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

“It is alleged that Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman invited support for ISIS in individual lectures which were subsequently published online.

“The decision to prosecute was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

"Criminal proceedings have now commenced and both men have the right to a fair trial."

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