This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/17/world/europe/anjem-choudary-islamist-activist-in-britain-is-convicted-of-supporting-isis.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Anjem Choudary, Islamist Activist in Britain, Is Convicted of Supporting ISIS | Anjem Choudary, Islamist Activist in Britain, Is Convicted of Supporting ISIS |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LONDON — One of Britain’s best-known Islamist activists has been found guilty of inviting support for the Islamic State, and could face a prison term of up to 10 years, officials announced on Tuesday. | LONDON — One of Britain’s best-known Islamist activists has been found guilty of inviting support for the Islamic State, and could face a prison term of up to 10 years, officials announced on Tuesday. |
| The activist, Anjem Choudary, 49, and an associate, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 33, were convicted of using online lectures and messages to encourage support for the Islamic State, which is banned in Britain and also known as ISIS or ISIL. | |
| In social media posts, the two men pledged allegiance to the caliphate declared by the head of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and said that Muslims had a duty to obey and support him. | In social media posts, the two men pledged allegiance to the caliphate declared by the head of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and said that Muslims had a duty to obey and support him. |
| The men were arrested in 2014 and were tried at the Old Bailey in London, the central criminal court. The jury delivered its verdict on July 28, but it was not announced until Tuesday for legal reasons. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 6. | The men were arrested in 2014 and were tried at the Old Bailey in London, the central criminal court. The jury delivered its verdict on July 28, but it was not announced until Tuesday for legal reasons. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 6. |
| Mr. Choudary is the former head of Al-Muhajiroun, an organization that is now banned. The group was founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad, who was expelled from Britain in 2005 and went to Lebanon. Mr. Choudary later led another organization, Islam4UK, which has also been banned. | Mr. Choudary is the former head of Al-Muhajiroun, an organization that is now banned. The group was founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad, who was expelled from Britain in 2005 and went to Lebanon. Mr. Choudary later led another organization, Islam4UK, which has also been banned. |
| He has long been infamous in Britain for praising the men who mounted the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001; for refusing to condemn the London bombings of 2005; and for saying he wanted to convert Buckingham Palace into a mosque and fly the Islamic flag over 10 Downing Street. | He has long been infamous in Britain for praising the men who mounted the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001; for refusing to condemn the London bombings of 2005; and for saying he wanted to convert Buckingham Palace into a mosque and fly the Islamic flag over 10 Downing Street. |
| Mr. Choudary served two years in jail for encouraging people to kill British and American troops in Afghanistan. One of the men who hacked a British soldier, Lee Rigby, to death in 2013 had attended protests organized by Mr. Choudary. | Mr. Choudary served two years in jail for encouraging people to kill British and American troops in Afghanistan. One of the men who hacked a British soldier, Lee Rigby, to death in 2013 had attended protests organized by Mr. Choudary. |
| Dean Haydon, the head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counterterrorism Command, said in a statement: “These men have stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counterterrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organizations.” | Dean Haydon, the head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counterterrorism Command, said in a statement: “These men have stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counterterrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organizations.” |
| Mr. Choudary has denied encouraging terrorism or supporting attacks in non-Muslim lands. But Mr. Haydon said that “over and over again, we have seen people on trial for the most serious offenses who have attended lectures or speeches given by these men.” | Mr. Choudary has denied encouraging terrorism or supporting attacks in non-Muslim lands. But Mr. Haydon said that “over and over again, we have seen people on trial for the most serious offenses who have attended lectures or speeches given by these men.” |
| Mr. Haydon said that when the two defendants swore allegiance to the Islamic State, it was “a turning point for the police — at last we had the evidence that they had stepped over the line and we could prove they supported ISIS.” | Mr. Haydon said that when the two defendants swore allegiance to the Islamic State, it was “a turning point for the police — at last we had the evidence that they had stepped over the line and we could prove they supported ISIS.” |
| Richard Whittam, a prosecutor in the case, said that “terrorist organizations thrive and grow because people support them and that is what this case is about.” He added, “Do not confuse that with the right of people to follow the religion of their choice or to proclaim support for a caliphate.” | Richard Whittam, a prosecutor in the case, said that “terrorist organizations thrive and grow because people support them and that is what this case is about.” He added, “Do not confuse that with the right of people to follow the religion of their choice or to proclaim support for a caliphate.” |
| On July 7, 2014, the anniversary of the London bombings, Mr. Choudary and Mr. Rahman posted an oath of allegiance online under the pseudonyms they used on an extremist website: Abu Luqman (Mr. Choudary) and Abu Baraa (Mr. Rahman). | On July 7, 2014, the anniversary of the London bombings, Mr. Choudary and Mr. Rahman posted an oath of allegiance online under the pseudonyms they used on an extremist website: Abu Luqman (Mr. Choudary) and Abu Baraa (Mr. Rahman). |
| From August to September 2014, the men posted speeches on YouTube encouraging support for ISIS. An audio recording that was uploaded to Mr. Choudary’s YouTube channel on Sept. 9, 2014, was played to jurors during the trial. | From August to September 2014, the men posted speeches on YouTube encouraging support for ISIS. An audio recording that was uploaded to Mr. Choudary’s YouTube channel on Sept. 9, 2014, was played to jurors during the trial. |
| Titled “How Muslims Assess the Legitimacy of the Caliphate,” the recording, lasting an hour and six minutes, is accompanied by a map of northern Africa, the Middle East, northwestern Asia and southern Europe. | Titled “How Muslims Assess the Legitimacy of the Caliphate,” the recording, lasting an hour and six minutes, is accompanied by a map of northern Africa, the Middle East, northwestern Asia and southern Europe. |
| On the recording, Mr. Choudary can be heard explaining the requirements for a legitimate Islamic caliphate and why he judges the Islamic State to be one. | On the recording, Mr. Choudary can be heard explaining the requirements for a legitimate Islamic caliphate and why he judges the Islamic State to be one. |
| “The lesson from this narration is that obedience to the caliph is an obligation, if they rule by the Shariah,” he says, referring to the legal code of Islam based on the Quran. | “The lesson from this narration is that obedience to the caliph is an obligation, if they rule by the Shariah,” he says, referring to the legal code of Islam based on the Quran. |