London court sentences Islamist preacher Choudary to 28 years in prison
Previously, radical Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary had already been convicted for "leading a terrorist organization." In the verdict handed down a week ago, it was stated that Choudary had temporarily led the Al-Muhajiroun group (ALM), which is blamed for several attacks in the UK.
Due to the already served prison time, Choudary will spend a total of more than 26 years behind bars, meaning he will not be released before his 85th birthday. In addition to Choudary, another defendant was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for membership in ALM.
Police representatives described the verdict against Choudary, who is one of the most well-known figures of the so-called "Londonistan" Islamist scene in the British capital, as "historic." The 57-year-old is a "brazen, active radicalizer," said Rebecca Weiner of the New York Police Department (NYPD) to journalists. Usually, "the foot soldiers are brought to court - the people who are recruited into the network and then carry out the attacks," she said. "It's rare for the leader to be brought to justice, and that's why this is a particularly significant moment."
Choudary has been under the radar of authorities for a long time. In 2016, he was sentenced to prison for supporting the Islamic State (IS) militant group. He was released early in 2018. In 2023, he was arrested again. The new charges were brought after joint investigations by the London Metropolitan Police, the New York Police Department (NYPD), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The ALM group was founded in 1996 by the London-based Syrian cleric Omar Bakri Muhammad with the aim of establishing an Islamic caliphate in Great Britain. It was banned in 2010. ALM is blamed for the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby in 2013 and attacks on London Bridge in 2017 and 2019.
Despite claims that the group has been disbanded, the prosecution states that ALM continues to exist under different names. For example, the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS) based in New York is considered the US arm of ALM.
Choudary will spend over two decades and a half in prison, overall, as he will not be released before his 85th birthday, due to the sentences served for multiple convictions. The ALM, founded in 1996, has been linked to several attacks in the UK, including the murder of Lee Rigby in 2013 and attacks on London Bridge in 2017 and 2019, making this group active for over two decades.
