Radical cleric Anjem Choudary, long a thorn in the side of British authorities, has been jailed in London for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of encouraging support for Islamic State (IS) jihadists.

Key points:

Choudary is former head of now-banned group Islam4UK or al-Muhajiroun

Choudary is former head of now-banned group Islam4UK or al-Muhajiroun Group radicalised London transport suicide bombers in 2005, and men who murdered British solider in 2013

Group radicalised London transport suicide bombers in 2005, and men who murdered British solider in 2013 Police chief said Choudary and his co-defendent had stayed "just within the law" for several years

Supporters of the 49-year-old and his co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman — who received the same sentence — shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) from the public gallery as the judge announced his decision, according to an AFP journalist.

Judge Timothy Holroyde, in the ruling handed down at the Old Bailey court, said Choudary was "calculating and dangerous" and had shown no remorse.

"A significant proportion of those listening to your words would be impressionable persons looking to you for guidance on how to act," the judge said.

Dressed in a white robe, Choudary showed no emotion as the sentence was passed.

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said the men "certainly had an influence in radicalising others, poisoning the mind of vulnerable people in the communities".

He added they were "certainly" in contact with overseas terrorists.

A jury had convicted both men in July.

Men managed to stay 'just within the law' for years

Choudary is the former head in Britain of Islam4UK or al-Muhajiroun, a now-banned group co-founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad that called for Islamic law in Britain.

Among those radicalised by Muhajiroun were the suicide bombers who killed 52 people on London's public transport system in July 2005, and the men who murdered soldier Lee Rigby in the capital in 2013, police say.

The court heard that Choudary had broadcast speeches recognising Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the leader of the Islamic State.

It also emerged that Choudary and Rahman pledged their allegiance to ISIS using Mohammed Fachry, a convicted terrorist, to publish the oath that had been signed off by Choudary, on an Indonesian website.

Police chief Haydon said both men had managed to stay "just within the law for many years", a source of frustration for law enforcement agencies.

"We have watched Choudary developing a media career as spokesman for the extremists, saying the most distasteful of comments, but without crossing the criminal threshold," he added.

"Their recent speeches and the oath of allegiance were a turning point for the police — at last we had the evidence that they had stepped over the line and we could prove they were actively encouraging support of ISIS."



AFP

