Hate preacher Anjem Choudary arrested on suspicion of terror offence

Anjem Choudary, the notorious hate preacher, has been arrested as part of a police investigation into suspected terrorism offences.

Choudary, 56, who lives in east London, was arrested by police at his home in a dawn raid on Monday.

A little less than seven hours after Choudary was detained, counter terrorism detectives arrested a second man at Heathrow airport who had just landed in the UK on a flight from Canada. Both men were held on suspicion of being members of a banned organisation in contravention of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Police conducted searches of three addresses in east London. The two men remained in custody on Monday evening.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Counter terrorism detectives have today arrested two men as part of an investigation into suspected terrorism offences.

“The officers arrested a 56-year-old man from east London in the area at approximately 05.40hrs this morning, Monday, 17 July.”

The statement went on: “They arrested a 28-year-old Canadian national at Heathrow airport at approximately 12.35hrs, after he arrived on a flight from Canada. Both were arrested on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation, contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000 [and] are currently being held under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, at a west London police station. Police searches of three addresses in east London are ongoing.”