Anjem Choudary in court over claims he ‘directed’ a terrorist group

From the London Evening Standard

Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been remanded in custody after being charged with a series of terrorism offences. The father-of-five was flanked by two officers in suits as he appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Monday.

Prosecutor Warren Stanier said Choudary and a second defendant, Canadian resident Khaled Hussein, are both accused of being members of the banned organisation Al-Muhajiroun. It is said Al-Muhajiroun has been reborn under a different name, the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), and Choudary is accused of giving a series of lectures to ITS.

Mr Stanier said Hussein is accused of being a member of the banned group for around two years, and has been “working for (Choudary) in the online space to provide a platform for the words and messages of the organisation”.

Hussein, 28, from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, was arrested at Heathrow airport last Monday, and has been charged with membership of a proscribed organisation.

Choudary, wearing spectacles and with a long greying beard, wore a white robe and a black jacket for the court hearing.

Hussein gave no indication of plea to the charge he faces, while Choudary was not asked to enter any pleas.

Both men were remanded in custody by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring until hearings at the Central Criminal Court on August 4.