Anjem Choudary, a hardline Islamist preacher who has dual British and Pakistani citizenship and was recently released from prison, has been charged with three offenses relating to terrorism and will be brought before a London court on Monday.
In accordance with various provisions of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, Choudary, 56, was charged by the Metropolitan Police on Sunday with belonging to a proscribed (banned) organization, speaking at gatherings to solicit support for a proscribed organization, and leading a terrorist organization.
Khaled Hussein, a 28-year-old Canadian, was also detained in connection with a counterterrorism investigation on suspicion of joining a banned group.
A 56-year-old male in east London and a 28-year-old Canadian national were detained by Met counterterrorism investigators on July 17 after they arrived at Heathrow Airport following a flight, according to a statement from the Met Police.
They were detained in accordance with Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and detectives were given warrants for additional custody, enabling them to hold the men until Monday, July 24.
Both men were kept in jail during the lengthy questioning and were scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday.
British-born Choudary has ties to a number of radical organizations, notably the Islamist organization Al Muhajiroun, which has since been outlawed.
He was released from London’s maximum security Belmarsh jail in 2018 after being found guilty by the Old Bailey court in September 2016 of extremist preaching and encouraging Muslims to embrace the terrorist organization ISIS. He has been imprisoned there since his conviction.
