Anjem Choudary released: Radical Islamist preacher jailed for inviting support for Isis leaves prison
Move sparks outrage after prisons minister admits extremist still 'genuinely dangerous'
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Your support makes all the difference.Anjem Choudary has been released from prison a little more than two years after being convicted of inviting support for Isis.
The notorious hate preacher, whose network of Islamist fanatics includes Isis fighters and terror attackers, was released from Belmarsh prison in southeast London on Friday morning.
A car carrying Choudary was seen leaving the jail escorted by unmarked police cars shortly after 4am.
He was later seen outside a probation hostel in north London, where he is expected to be kept for several months, under intense supervision.
Choudary smiled at photographers gathered outside and appeared to be using a mobile phone, while surrounded by police officers.
His release, which came automatically halfway through his five-and-a-half-year sentence, has sparked outrage after the prisons minister admitted the preacher was still “genuinely dangerous”.
Fiyaz Mughal, director of the Faith Matters counter-extremism group, said the prison term should have been fully served. “Choudary’s early release sends out a message of weakness within our state,” he told The Independent.
“It is a slap in the face of many people, including many Muslims who have been, for two decades, saying that action needed to be taken against him for the poisoning of young minds.
“Choudary has been the inspiration for many young people who have then decided to take up violent jihad, and this man has been one of the nexus points of extremism in our country.
“With individuals like him, who are a nexus of extremism, a sentence should mean a sentence that is served out.”
The 51-year-old preacher was held at a separation unit for extremists at HMP Frankland for part of his sentence, in a bid to prevent him radicalising fellow inmates.
The National Probation Service, police and MI5 have collaborated on a package of strict licence conditions aimed to stop Choudary continuing his previous activities.
The Independent understands he will spend the first part of his release period in a probation hostel, and will be heavily restricted after being freed into the community.
A lengthy list of conditions imposed upon him was expected to include electronic monitoring, heavily restricted internet access and communications, and bans on associating with fellow extremists, speaking publicly, holding meetings or entering exclusion zones.
All of Choudary’s assets have been frozen as part of United Nations sanctions, and he will only be able to attend pre-agreed mosques, and live at an agreed address.
He has also been made subject to an international travel ban, meaning he cannot leave the UK or enter any UN member states, and is on a Border Force watch index.
Questioned about Choudary’s release in Brussels on Thursday, Theresa May said: “If and when any terrorist offender is released, well-rehearsed plans are put in place to keep the public safe.
“The police, the prison, the probation service and other agencies have a range of powers available to them.
“They also have significant experience in dealing with such offenders.
“This includes the setting of strict licence conditions, such as restrictions on movement and internet access, and stringent curfews, the breach of which could result in immediate recall to prison.”
Choudary was made a “specially designated global terrorist” by the US last year because of his leadership of the al-Muhajiroun organisation, his links to terrorist networks and his pledge of allegiance to Isis.
The oath of allegiance, made in an east London curry house in 2014, gave police the evidence needed to swoop after years of frustrated attempts to stop Choudary’s activities.
The former solicitor evaded the law for years to carry out brazen radicalisation, street preaching and incendiary protests.
His followers operated across the UK and linked with Islamist groups in Europe, sending fighters to the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Isis while praising terror attacks and calling for the imposition of sharia law in Britain.
Numerous terrorists have emerged from Choudary’s ranks, including Isis executioner Siddhartha Dhar, British Army soldier Lee Rigby’s murderers, and London Bridge terror attack ringleader Khuram Butt.
Other terrorists linked to al-Muhajiroun include 7/7 bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan, Tel Aviv bar bomber Omar Khan Sharif, Free Kashmir suicide bomber Bilal Mohammed, and the men behind plots including a planned bombing of the Ministry of Sound, a truck attack in Oxford Street and London Stock Exchange mail bombings.
Counter-extremism groups have raised fears the release of Choudary and co-defendant Mizanur Rahman – also a prominent member of al-Muhajiroun – would embolden Islamists and the far-right.
Adam Deen, a former member of the Islamist network who is now executive director of the Quilliam counter-extremism think tank, predicted “a rebirth of al-Muhajiroun, probably smarter and more cautious of the law”.
“I’m not too sure how much support Anjem is going to have when he comes out, but most definitely he’s not going to stay quiet,” he added, saying Choudary could emerge from prison “more fervent” in his beliefs.
While al-Muhajiroun’s ranks have been severely diminished by security crackdowns and the deaths of members who went to fight for Isis, several of Choudary’s former associates have been spotted preaching at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, and at “dawah” stalls giving out copies of the Quran.
Dr Michael Kenney, a University of Pittsburgh professor, and author of The Islamic State in Britain, said the network has been left “very weak” by the global outcry against Isis and a crackdown by security services.
He added: “The recruiting environment is very bad for them right now, particularly after Isis’ atrocities and the attacks in Britain. People don’t want to hear what they are preaching any more.”
Sir Mark Rowley, the former head of UK counterterror policing, said people must be "careful not to overstate Choudary's significance".
“At the end of the day, he is a pathetic groomer of others," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. “That is what he has done in the past. He is not some sort of evil genius we all need to be afraid of.
“We have to recognise that radicalisers look to generate a profile, they look to prey on the vulnerable. We need to be thoughtful about how we report their activity.”