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Anjem Choudary among nine arrested in London anti-terrorism raid Anjem Choudary among nine arrested in London anti-terrorism raid
(35 minutes later)
Radical preacher Anjem Choudary is understood to be one of nine men arrested as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism. Anjem Choudary, one of the most high profile Islamists in Britain, has been arrested by police for allegedly encouraging terrorism.
The men, who were all seized in London, were arrested on suspicion of being members of, or supporting, a banned organisation, the Metropolitan police said. Choudary, 47, was one of nine men arrested by officers from Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command on Thursday morning.
Al-Muhajiroun is understood to be the banned organisation in question, sources told the Press Association. Police gave only sparse details, but the men were arrested on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation, as well as encouraging terrorism.
The nine were arrested by counter-terror police as part of an investigation into Islamist extremism. Choudary was a former spokesperson for the extremist or radical group al-Muhajiroun, which was banned and then reinvented itself under various names, which were also proscribed.
The men, all held in London, were arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of being members of, or supporting, a banned organisation, the Metropolitan police said. Choudary gained publicity for statements over the years which inflamed some people, but which stayed on the right side of the law.
Counter-terrorism officers searched 18 addresses across London, and one in Stoke on Trent, and the searches are ongoing. He is a former lawyer, self styled preacher and says he is an expert in Islamic or Shariah law.
Scotland Yard said the men, aged between 22 and 51, were arrested as “part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist related terrorism and are not in response to any immediate public safety risk”. On Thursday morning his phone was uncharacteristically switched off and a chat group he uses to communicate his message through was silent and saying it was last viewed at 5.33am.
More details soon … The men arrested were aged from 22 to 51 years old and were all detained in London.
Police said a total of 19 addresses were being searched, mostly in London. Police said community premises were being raided, as well as residential and business addresses. One address is in Stoke-on-Trent in the Midlands, eleven in east London, one in west London, one in north-west London and five in south London.
In a statement the Met said: “These arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist related terrorism and are not in response to any immediate public safety risk.”
Choudary’s most recent group called itself “need4khilafah”. Choudary had previously acted as spokesperson for Omar Bakri Muhammad, the former leader of al-Muhajiroun, who left Britain to live in Lebanon.
Those arrested in Thursday’s raids are being held at police stations in the capital.
The Met said: “Officers from the Metropolitan police service’s counter-terrorism command have arrested nine men this morning, Thursday, 25 September, on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and encouraging terrorism contrary to Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006.”