Radical preacher Anjem Choudary is one of nine men arrested in terror raid in London
- Men aged 22, 31, 31, 32, 36, 38, 39, 47 and 51 arrested this morning
- Premises in London and Stoke-on-Trent being searched by police
- Officers: ‘Part of ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism’
- Al-Muhajiroun is understood to be banned organisation in question
Radical preacher: Anjem Choudary was one of nine men arrested by officers in London this morning
Radical preacher Anjem Choudary was one of nine men arrested today as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism.
Choudary, 47, and eight other men aged 22, 31, 31, 32, 36, 38, 39 and 51 were arrested by Metropolitan Police officers in London this morning, and have all been taken to police stations – where they remain in custody.
Some 19 residential, business or community premises were also being searched today as part of the investigation, Scotland Yard said.
Eleven of these were in east London, one was in west London, one was in north-west London and five were in south London – while a residential address was also being searched in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.
A police spokesman 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.’
Officers confirmed that the nine men were arrested on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation and encouraging terrorism.
Al-Muhajiroun is understood to be the banned organisation in question, sources said this morning.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Choudary said he has no sympathy for Alan Henning, a volunteer aid worker who was captured in Syria.
Arrested: Choudary, 47, is pictured outside the Regent’s Park Mosque in north-west London in July 2013
Demonstration: Choudary (right) has had contact with worshippers who have later gone on to be convicted of terrorism. Fanatic Michael Adebolajo (left) was seen at demonstrations organised by al-Muhajiroun
ISIS militants threatened to behead the 47-year-old in a video released earlier this month, which showed the murder of another British man, David Haines.
Choudary is reported to have said: ‘In the Koran it is not allowed for you to feel sorry for non Muslims. I don’t feel sorry for him.’
Choudary, who co-founded the now banned group al-Muhajiroun, has had contact with a number of worshippers who have later gone on to be convicted of terrorism.
Fanatics Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who were both jailed earlier this year for the brutal slaying of Fusilier Lee Rigby, were both seen at demonstrations organised by al-Muhajiroun.
Choudary said he knew Adebolajo, who was pictured beside him at a rally in 2007, and the second founder of the group, Omar Bakri Mohammed, claimed that he had spoken to the future killer at meetings.
On TV: Choudary (second right) pictured in a promotional image for BBC programme My Brother the Terrorist, in April. Pictured (from left) Alyas Karmani, Richard Dart (Salahuddin), Robb Leech, Choudary and Abdullah Deen
Metropolitan Police: Scotland Yard said nine men were arrested by counter terror police in London today on suspicion of being a member of a banned organisation and encouraging terrorism
The group, which has changed names a number of times, was banned in the UK in 2010.
A study suggested that in the preceding 12 years, 18 per cent of Islamic extremists convicted of terror offences in the UK had current or former links with it.
‘These arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism’
Metropolitan Police
A resident who lives near a terraced house where Choudary was believed to have lived in Walthamstow, east London, said the preacher and his family moved out about a week ago.
She said Choudary had lived there for around two years and claimed there was police activity at the weekend after he left.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘There were police cars and officers walking around. I can’t say whether they actually went in.’
Anti-extremism campaigners Hope Not Hate welcomed the arrests. Chief executive Nick Lowles said: ‘For over a year, since our own extensive investigations into Anjem Choudary and his disciples, we’ve been saying that more must be done to curb this hate-supporting and recruiting organisation.’