Anjem Choudary Sentenced to Life for Leading Terrorist Group
British-Pakistani preacher Anjem Choudary has been sentenced to life in prison for directing the terrorist organization al-Muhajiroun (ALM). Choudary, 57, was convicted last week of leading ALM, which was banned over a decade ago.
Judge’s Statement
Judge Mark Wall announced the life sentence at London’s Woolwich Crown Court, with a minimum term of 28 years before Choudary would be eligible for parole. Wall stated that organizations like ALM ‘normalize violence in support of an ideological cause’ through online meetings, giving individuals the courage to commit acts they otherwise might not do.
Prosecution and Defense
Prosecutor Tom Little explained that Choudary became ‘the caretaker emir’ of ALM after its leader, Omar Bakri Mohammed, was jailed in Lebanon in 2014. Choudary’s lawyer, Paul Hynes, argued that the group was ‘little more than a husk of an organization’ and that most attacks linked to it had already occurred.
International Investigation
A joint investigation by police in Britain, the United States, and Canada gathered evidence that Choudary was running and directing ALM via online lectures with followers based in New York. New York Deputy Police Commissioner Rebecca Weiner called the case ‘historic’ and identified the Islamic Thinkers Society as ALM’s US branch.
Co-Convict and Previous Imprisonment
Choudary was convicted alongside Khaled Hussein, 29, of Edmonton, Canada, who received a five-year sentence for membership in a proscribed organization. The two were arrested a year ago after Hussein landed at Heathrow Airport. Choudary had previously been imprisoned in 2016 for encouraging support for ISIS and was released in 2018 after serving half of his sentence.
Background of ALM
The group ALM, which emerged in the late 1990s, has been linked to several attacks both at home and abroad.
Doubts Revealed
Anjem Choudary -: Anjem Choudary is a British-Pakistani preacher who has been involved in promoting extremist views and supporting terrorist activities.
Terrorist Group -: A terrorist group is an organization that uses violence and fear to achieve its goals, often targeting innocent people.
al-Muhajiroun (ALM) -: Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) is a terrorist organization that has been involved in planning and carrying out attacks. It has also operated under different names in various countries.
Judge Mark Wall -: Judge Mark Wall is the person in the court who decided the punishment for Anjem Choudary based on the law.
Parole -: Parole is a system where a prisoner can be released early from prison under certain conditions, but they are still under supervision.
Khaled Hussein -: Khaled Hussein is another person who was convicted along with Anjem Choudary for being involved in terrorist activities.
ISIS -: ISIS is a very dangerous terrorist group that has caused a lot of violence and destruction in many countries.
Islamic Thinkers Society -: The Islamic Thinkers Society is another name used by the terrorist group al-Muhajiroun (ALM) to operate in New York.
