Good Riddance

Anjem “Andy” Choudary an old nemesis of this blog who once boasted of being “the number one radicaliser in Britain” has been found guilty of terrorism charges and hopefully gets life in prison. The man was arrested last year and the trial started in March 2024 following an unprecedented investigation by MI5, Scotland Yard, the New York Police Department and Canadian police. Huge congratulations to the investigative forces and prosecutors.  From Sky news:

He stood in the dock in a white t-shirt with his arms folded as he was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of directing a terrorist organisation and encouraging support for a proscribed organisation.

In a year he delivered more than 40 lectures, some to a small, selected circle but others with an audience of up to 150 from as far away as Brazil and Afghanistan.

It can be revealed that police in Britain, the US, and Canada had been running separate investigations as they became concerned that Choudary was seeking to recruit a new generation of younger followers.

Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner from the New York Police Department (NYPD), called Choudary a “shamelessly prolific radicaliser” and added: “The names may have changed, years passed, but the threat remained.”

American undercover officers joined Andy’s latest iteration of a terror outfit, rather amusingly named Islamic Thinkers’ Society (ITS), in New York in June 2022. The two US undercover law enforcement officers  recorded his speeches.

Anjem is rather proud of his reputation as an inciter of terrorism. He is reported to have said : “That is a badge of honour for me. It’s a medallion on my chest. What do you want to call me? An extremist? Fanatic? All of these.”

Well he has now another chance to grow fat on the briyanis served in His Majesty’s Prisons and they’d better not release him early like they did the previous time. We will also know what charges will be served on Majid Freeman tomorrow at the Westminster crown court.*

*Clarification : We do know the charges he has been arrested on but tomorrow is the first court hearing and we may have some of the details of the prosecution’s case.

Update 26 July 2024 : Majid Freeman has been charged with support of Hamas, a proscribed terror outfit in the UK, and with inciting a Charlie Hebdo style violent attack. All of his anti-hindu and anti-jewish vitriol online and long history of support of Islamist terrorists did not merit a charge.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/leicester-activist-charged-with-supporting-hamas/articleshow/112024609.cms

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-terror-accused-majid-freeman-9433334

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1dp4nj00zo