Anjem Choudary will have to attend the desistance and disengagement programme as part of his probation

The convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary is among extremists and Islamic State fighters to undergo Britain’s first compulsory deradicalisation programme, The Times has learnt.

When Choudary, 51, was released from prison on October 19, halfway through his sentence for supporting Isis, he was ordered to attend the desistance and disengagement programme (DDP) as part of his probation.

The course requires him to receive mentoring and theological “advice” and is the government’s latest attempt to combat the heightened terrorism threat.

Convicted extremists are being freed from prison at a rate of one a week and more than 40 per cent of those found guilty of terrorism offences in the past decade will be eligible for release by the end of the year.

The DDP, part of