A British radical cleric of Pakistani-origin has been charged by a London court with posting online lectures to lure support for the extremist organisation Islamic State.
The cleric named Anjem Choudary, who headed the now-banned Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court along with another suspect Mohammed Rahman, however both pleaded not guilty.
Instead, Choudary accused British PM David Cameron and Metropolitan Police of launching a “political manoeuvre” against him and said they were the guilty ones.
UK-born Choudary, 48, was charged along with Mohammed Rahman, 32, with inviting support for a proscribed terrorist organisation, namely Islamic State.
Both men have been remanded in custody until August 28.
“It is alleged that Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman invited support for ISIS (also known as ISIL) in individual lectures which were subsequently published online, said Sue Hemming, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
“Each man is charged with one offence contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000,” Hemming said.
Choudary and Rahman were both arrested in September last year on suspicion of being members of IS, but were bailed throughout the 11-month investigation.
Anjem Choudary describes himself on Twitter as a “Muslim who believes that Islam is something we must believe in (Tawheed), live by (Shari’ah) and struggle and sacrifice for (by way of Daw’ah and Jihad)”.
In his last tweet dated August 4, he has criticised UK PMs in general, accusing them of murdering children and also referred to the recent sex abuse case against ex-UK PM Edward Heath.
