Islamists guilty of inciting and funding terrorism

An Islamist activist who made militant statements to the press and heckled the then Home Secretary John Reid has been convicted of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas.

Abu Izzadeen, 32, was among six men convicted at Kingston Crown Court of supporting terrorism. The charges followed speeches they made at the Regents Park mosque in London and outside in the street in November 2004 while American forces were laying siege to Fallujah.

Jonathan Laidlaw, for the prosecution, said that the men had delivered or contributed to a series of "emotive and inflammatory" speeches that made appeals for money and volunteers to join the fight against US-led troops in Iraq.

The defendants were all members of the militant group Al-Muhajiroun. The group, led by the preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed who has since left the country, believed in the creation of an Islamic state.

Also found guilty of terrorist fund-raising were Simon Keeler and Abdul Muhid, both of White-chapel, east London, and Shah Jalal Hussain, who is missing after failing to appear at court.

Abdul Rehman Saleem, of Poplar, east London, and Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan, of Leyton, east London, were found guilty of inciting terrorism overseas along with Izzadeen and Keeler. They are to be sentenced today.