Government breaks promise to shut down terror websites



Not a single extremist website has been shut down since the July 7 terror attacks, the Tories said yesterday.



Under legislation introduced three years ago, the Government promised it would tackle extremist sites head on in a bid to 'address the threat we face'.



But despite the pledge, Muslim radicals are still free to issue hate-filled messages on the internet.



Baroness Neville-Jones, the Tory security spokesman, said: 'Organisations like al-Qaeda are increasingly using the internet as a tool for radicalisation.



Preacher of hate: Anjem Choudary, centre, and his followers

'So it is shocking that the Government has failed to shut down a single terrorist website.



'They claim they prefer to put pressure on internet service providers to remove dangerous material. But they're not able to tell us what they've achieved by this route. This smacks of dangerous complacency and incompetence.'



Preacher of hate Choudary, a self-style sharia judge and former leader of the banned group Al-Muhajiroun, sparked outrage after he led the vile protests against British soldiers in Luton.

In a new 10-minute video posted on the Islam 4 UK website the 41 year old described terror attacks as 'pro-life'.

He said: 'We can divide the world today into two camps.

'The camp which believes that sovereignty and supremacy belong to God and the camp which believes that sovereignty and supremacy belong to man.

Extreme: Choudary describes the terror attacks as 'pro-life' on website Islam 4 UK, above



'Similarly we can divide the terrorism we see around the world into two types: Terrorism against life and terrorism which is pro-life.

'The terrorism against life is that perpetrated by the Americans and British in Iraq and Afghanistan...

'And the terrorism which is pro-life is the terrorism of the Muslims in those areas, defending their life, their honour and their wealth, speaking up, raising their voices in support of their brothers.'

The Government vowed to crackdown on terrorism after four bombs ripped through London's public transport system in 2005

In another speech - also posted on an extremist website and being studied by the Metropolitan Police - Choudary calls on his followers to hide evidence from investigators.

On the tape he says: 'Your house should be clean. There should be nothing at all there which they can come along and then can form some sort of intention.'

He also allegedly urges terror suspects to flee Britain, telling them: 'Don't take your chance in court.'

Choudary, 41, whose supporters hurled abuse at soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment returning from Afghanistan, is under constant review by MI5 and police.

The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command is said to be examining his latest speech.

Police are already believed to be examining whether he broke the law in calling for money to be collected for Islamic fighters.

But he continues to preach messages of hate on the internet.

On a website he has apparently been heard calling on Muslims not to save money for their families but to give it to Mujahideen — holy warriors.

It is an offence under the Terrorism Act to raise money for terrorism, whether in this country or overseas.

Last year Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced a drive to close extremist sites with tactics used against online paedophiles.



She conceded that it was difficult to close such sites because they could merely spring up elsewhere.

But she added: 'If we are ready and willing to take action to stop the grooming of vulnerable young people on social networking sites, then we should also take action against those who groom vulnerable people for the purposes of violent extremism.

'Where there is illegal material on the net, I want it removed. Stopping people becoming or supporting terrorists is the major long-term challenge we face.'

The Tories also highlighted anti-Semitic white nationalist websites which are still running despite the Government's pledge.

Last night, a Home Office spokesperson said: 'If material is hosted in the UK, informal contact between the police and the Internet Service Provider has, to-date, proven sufficient to have material removed from the internet. We hope that this continues.'