Anjem Choudary
Britain’s most notorious hate preacher taunted the authorities and peddled his Islamic extremism on the streets of Britain for two decades. He was the smug face of radical Islam, organising vile street protests against British troops, espousing his poisonous views across the media and radicalising hundreds of Britons into planning and committing numerous terrorist atrocities and travelling to Syria to fight for IS.
Anjem, or Andy as he was known at University, was born in the UK on 18 January 1967, the son of a Pakistani market trader. He went to school in Woolwich and enrolled as a medical student at the University of Southampton. Here he had a reputation as a party animal and enjoyed getting stoned, subsequently failing his first-year exams.
Having dropped out of his medical degree he then switched to studying law at Guildford College. His first job teaching English as a second language took him to London, where he also gained a reputation for sleeping with a different woman on a nightly basis. In 1996, he finally settled down, marrying Rubana Akhtar, who was 22 and had recently joined al-Muhajiroun, which Andy led at the time. She later became the group’s head of women. The couple have five children.
Choudary co-founded the radical Islamist Salafi Wahabi organisation al-Muhajiroun with the militant Omar Bakri Muhammed. Al-Muhajiroun were banned under anti-terror legislation in 2004, at which time Bakri fled to Lebanon where he was later arrested. Following the closure of al-Muhajiroun Andy launched an offshoot called Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah. This was followed by Al Ghurabaa, then Islam4UK and finally Muslims Against Crusades (MAC). Each of these groups were in turn proscribed by the UK authorities, yet each time Andy managed to re-brand and reform under another name. The final ban occurred in 2011.
On 5 August 2015, Andy was charged under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for inviting support of a proscribed organisation, Islamic State, between June 2014 and March 2015. His trial was held on 27 June 2016, and he was convicted on 28 July 2016. He was finally sentenced at the Old Bailey on 6 September 2016, to five years and six months in prison.
Andy was the first known Islamist to be moved to a specialist secure “separation centre” at HMP Frankland in County Durham amid fears he was radicalising fellow inmates. The centres, known as “jihadi jails”, were proposed after a review into prison extremism recommended preachers and terrorists who tried to convert or incite others should be kept separate from mainstream prisoners. Andy was moved to the centre after he refused to stop preaching his extremist views despite being warned by prison authorities. HMP Frankland was the first of three units to be built and was followed by HMP Woodhill, in Milton Keynes, and HMP Full Sutton, in Yorkshire. Between them, the three centres hold 28 of the most subversive Islamic offenders. Islamist extremism was such a growing menace inside British prisons it represented a significant danger to national security.
On 30 March 2017 Andy was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the USA. This blocks his assets and prohibits him from engaging in any trade or financial transactions with U.S. persons.
Andy is due to be released from prison on licence in October 2018, halfway through his 5½-year sentence. The security services are said to be preparing for his release and are also said to be fearing heightened community tensions as his release will undoubtedly encourage some of his followers to become more vocal and defiant in their extremist behaviour. A large public backlash is also likely as repulsion is shown to this radical extremist being freed.
Some of the acts of terror connected to Andy include:
The shoe bomber
In December 2001, Richard Reid unsuccessfully attempted to detonate explosives in his shoes on a flight to Miami. He had attended the Finsbury Park mosque from where al-Mahoujiroun operated.
The Ricin Plot
In 2002, asylum seeker Kamal Bourgass plotted a deadly chemical attack on the streets of Britain, another member of al-Muhajiroun.
The Fertilizer Bomb Plot
In March 2004 police uncovered a terror plot against a number of high profile targets across Britain. The ringleader of the plot, Omar Khyam, had been radicalised by Choudary’s associate Omar Bakri.
The Dirty Bomb Plot
In 2004 Dhiren Barot was charged with plotting to blow up financial institutions in the US using limousines carrying radioactive dirty bombs, as well as plans to blow up London underground trains. He was charged alongside Luton based Abdul Aziz Jalil, an al-Muhajiroun activist.
The 7/7 Bombings
On July 7 2005 coordinated suicide attacks across London claimed the lives of 52 people and injured 700 more. The four terrorists had links to al-Muhajiroun and Choudary later refused to condemn their actions.
Transatlantic Bomb Plot
In 2006 police foiled a plot to bring down seven transatlantic airliners using liquid explosives. The ringleader, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, was involved with al-Muhajiroun. This resulted in the worldwide ban on carrying liquids on flights for us all.
Poppy Burners
On Remembrance Day 2010 members of an al-Mahajiroun offshoot gathered to burn poppies and shout “British soldiers burn in hell”. Emdadur Choudhury, a friend of Andy, was convicted of a Public Order Offence.
Wooton Bassett
In 2010 Choudary announced that 500 members of his group Islam4UK would parade through the Wiltshire market town of Wootton Bassett. Following public outrage the stunt was cancelled.
London Stock Exchange Plot
In December 2010 police uncovered a plot to send mail bombs to various London locations. Six of the nine men convicted of terror offences had been personally taught by Choudary, who said their plans had been “taken out of context”.
Toy Car Bomb Plot
In April 2013 four men were jailed for plotting to blow up a Territorial Army base. Zahid Iqbal, Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, Umar Arshad and Syed Farhan Hussain had attended numerous al-Muhajiroun events.
The Wootton Bassett Plot
In April 2013, Richard Dart was one of three jailed for a plot to bomb Wootton Bassett where mourners gathered to pay their respects to British troops killed in Afghanistan. Dart converted to Islam under the instruction of Choudary.
The Murder of Lee Rigby
In May 2013 Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale killed sergeant Lee Rigby outside his barracks in Woolwich. Both men were connected to al-Muhajiroun activists. Adebolajo was filmed standing behind Choudary at a protest in London and Choudary refused to condemn their actions and was filmed saying they would go to paradise.
Plot to Behead British Soldier
In 2014 a teenager was arrested with a knife en route to behead a soldier. Ziamani was turned into an Islamic extremist by Choudary after he was offered a place to stay that was a meeting place for Choudary and members of al-Mouhajiroun.
Anzac Day Plot
In 2015 Britain’s youngest convicted terrorist was 14 when he planned for an Australian jihadist to carry out a massacre on Anzac Day. The teenager had contact with Choudary prior to planning the plot.
Siddhartha Dhar
In 2016 Siddhartha Dhar was the narrator of a chilling IS video in which a number of suspected spies were executed. Dhar was a spokesman for al-Muhajiroun and close associate and neighbour of Choudary in Walthamstow.
RAF Lakenheath Plot
In 2016 Junead Khan was jailed for plotting to kill US servicemen outside an airbase in Suffolk. Choudary was believed to be behind his radicalisation.
