Anjem Choudary, the Islamist preacher, has been charged with three terror offences including directing a terrorist organisation, the Metropolitan Police said.
The 56-year-old preacher, who lives in east London, was arrested by police at his home in Ilford last week in a 5.40am raid. Officers then searched three addresses in east London.
On Sunday Choudary, a Pakistani-British dual national who was born in southeast London, was charged with three offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, including membership of a proscribed organisation, addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation and directing a terrorist organisation.
Khaled Hussein, 28, from Canada, was detained with Choudary and charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000. They will appear at Westminster magistrates’ court.
A Met spokesman said: “On July 17, Met counterterrorism detectives investigating alleged membership of a proscribed organisation arrested a 56-year-old man in east London and a 28-year-old Canadian national at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on a flight.
“They were held under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and detectives were granted warrants of further detention allowing them to detain the men until Monday, July 24. Both men have been remanded in custody to appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday, July 24.”
Choudary, a trained lawyer, has headed various groups including the now-banned Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, which described the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks as “magnificent martyrs”.
