British Muslim preacher Anjem Choudary has been sentenced to life in prison for directing a “terrorist organisation” known as al-Muhajiroun (ALM). The 57-year-old preacher was convicted of normalising violence and encouraging acts of terrorism through online meetings. The judge, Mark Wall, announced a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years before Choudary would be eligible for parole.
Choudary became the leader of ALM after its previous leader, Omar Bakri Mohammed, was jailed in Lebanon in 2014. He and his follower, Khaled Hussein, were both arrested after a joint investigation by police in Britain, the United States, and Canada found evidence of Choudary directing the group through online lectures with followers based in New York.
The group has operated under various names, including the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society. Choudary’s lawyer argued that ALM was merely a “husk of an organisation” and that most of the attacks linked to it had already occurred. However, prosecutors maintained that Choudary and Hussein were dedicated supporters of the organisation.
Choudary had previously served time in prison in 2016 for promoting support for ISIL (ISIS) before being released in 2018. ALM, which emerged in the late 1990s, has been connected to numerous attacks both domestically and internationally. With Choudary’s sentencing, authorities hope to prevent further acts of violence and terrorism associated with the organisation.
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