Moment international terror police swoop to arrest Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, as he faces life in jail

23 July 2024, 15:03 | Updated: 23 July 2024, 16:28

Anjem Choudary was told "I suspect you are a terrorist" after police officers smashed through his front door
Anjem Choudary was told "I suspect you are a terrorist" after police officers smashed through his front door. Picture: Met Police

By Will Conroy

Bodycam footage has shown the moment counter terror police arrested Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The footage released by Scotland Yard shows officers smashing through his front door in east London to arrest him just before 5.30am on July 17 2023.

This comes as Choudary was convicted of directing terrorist organisation Al-Muhajiroun and encouraging support for it through online meetings on Tuesday afternoon.

The 57-year-old, of Ilford in east London, was convicted of taking a "caretaker role" in directing the terrorist group at Woolwich Crown Court.

Dramatic moment counter terror police arrest Anjem Choudary

The footage shows officers ramming through the front door, shouting "police, stand back!", before storming into the property and ordering Choudary to move.

The visibly shocked Islamist preacher was told to show his hands while a female voice in the background shouted "what's going on?".

Choudary appeared to ask "oh my god... what are you doing?" as he was led into another room.

Anjem Choudary was arrested in July 2023
Anjem Choudary was arrested in July 2023. Picture: Met Police

In a later clip, when he was sitting down, an arresting officer told him: "Anjem, I am arresting you under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 as I suspect that you are a terrorist and involved in the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

"Information has been received that you belong to and are actively involved in the activities of Al-Muhajiroun, which is a proscribed organisation within the United Kingdom."

Choudary was sitting with his hands on his lap, not appearing to react to what was said.

At just after 6.30am he was led out of the property, with another clip showing him handcuffed in a police vehicle.

Prosecutors at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday said Choudary directed the terrorist organisation for a significant period of time from 2014 onwards.

Choudary also encouraged support after giving lectures to the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), which was “the same” as ALM, according to prosecutors.

The 57-year-old was convicted of taking a "caretaker role" in directing the terrorist group at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday
The 57-year-old was convicted of taking a "caretaker role" in directing the terrorist group at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday. Picture: Alamy

Khaled Hussein, 29, who prosecutors said was a "follower and dedicated supporter" of Choudary, was also found guilty of membership of ALM.

Evidence showed how Hussein was effectively acting as a personal assistant to Choudary, helping to host online lectures and editing extremist online blogs and publications for him.

Hussein, from Edmonton in Canada, was detained at Heathrow Airport, having arrived on July 17 2023 - the same day of Choudary's arrest.

Khaled Hussein was found guilty of membership of ALM
Khaled Hussein was found guilty of membership of ALM. Picture: Met Police

Choudary is now facing life in jail following an unprecedented joint investigation by MI5, Scotland Yard, the NYPD and Canadian police.

Undercover law enforcement officers in the US infiltrated ITS by attending online lectures in 2022 and 2023.

ALM was proscribed as a terror organisation in the UK in 2010, but it is understood to have continued to exist under various names.

During the trial, Choudary denied inviting support to ALM through lectures to ITS because the group “didn’t exist”.

Read more: July 7 London terror attack hero 'homeless and living in car for eight weeks' as 7/7 anniversary approaches

Read more: Man arrested for terrorism offences and 'causing explosions', as police discover 'suspicious substances' at home

Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan Police's counter terrorism command, said: "There are individuals that have conducted terrorist attacks or travelled for terrorist purposes as a result of Anjem Choudary's radicalising impact upon them."

He added: "ALM's tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security."

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner said it was a "historic case", describing Choudary as a "shameless, prolific radicalizer".

She said: "It is usually the foot soldiers, the individuals who are brought into the network who go on to commit the attacks who are brought to justice.

"And it's rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment."

She said that ITS was "ALM's US base branch", adding that "names may have changed, years may have passed, but the threat really remained constant."

Choudary, who was convicted of supporting the so-called Islamic State in 2016, denied inviting support to ALM through lectures to ITS because the group "didn't exist".

He said during the trial that ALM was disbanded in 2004 because founder Muhammad had a shift in ideology.

The conviction followed investigations by the Metropolitan Police, the New York Police Department (NYPD) in the US, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The conviction followed investigations by the Metropolitan Police, the New York Police Department (NYPD) in the US, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Picture: Alamy

The court heard Choudary said he viewed being called an extremist or fanatic as a "medallion" during lectures.

In one, he boasted that he had been labelled "the number one radicaliser in Britain," adding: "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."

He was released early from his five-year sentence in 2018 following the charge two years earlier, but his licence conditions prevented him from using the internet until July 2021.

In the space of a year following the expiration of these conditions, he delivered more than 40 lectures, some to a small, selected circle but others with an audience of up to 150.

Commander Murphy said: "What became clear after his licence conditions was that he saw the online space as a means of engaging globally with larger groups of people.

"And what was clear to us was that increasingly there were a larger number of people that were willing to engage with Anjem Choudary online and he was having an influence over those individuals."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
England's top judge slams Starmer and Badenoch over Gaza family immigration comments

England's top judge slams Starmer and Badenoch over Gaza family immigration comments

Breaking
Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple charged with espionage by Iranian authorities

An assistant referee has been charged with child sexual offences.

Assistant referee for FA Cup and football league games charged with child sexual offence

Corinna Schumacher, right, has broken her silence on the case involving a plot to reveal Formula One star Michael Schumacher's health secrets.

Michael Schumacher's wife breaks silence after three men guilty of blackmail plot to reveal F1 legend's health secrets

Doctor Who

Doctor Who faces axe as Nucti Gatwa 'quits' show amid drop in ratings over 'woke' storylines

Pope Francis

Pope Francis cancels weekend engagements as hospital stay extended

Bristol, UK. 19th Mar, 2020. Petrol now under £1 a litre as the drop in oil prices hits the forecourt. 99.9p a litre at Costco, Avonmouth, Bristol. Credit: Julian Kemp/Alamy Live News

Ten people injured after 'noxious substance' thrown in Costco as police hold teenage suspect

Alhaurin El Grande Malaga Province Spain Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación

Heartbreak as Brit pensioner, 90, 'starves to death in her Spanish home' as son, 63, 'found dead in property'

E-scooters are currently illegal to use on the public highways including pavements.

E-scooters blamed for 'shocking' surge in uninsured teen riders with 2,000% increase in offences

Thames Water has won court approval for a £3 billion emergency debt package as the nation's biggest water company scrambles to avoid collapse.

Thames Water handed £3 billion lifeline as court approves restructuring plans to save it from financial collapse

US and Russia begin talks about Ukraine in Saudi Arabia

Vladimir Putin 'ready to meet Zelensky', Moscow says as Russia-US peace talks underway

A drone view of Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock during an Everton under-18 friendly match test event.

Everton's new stadium makes its grand debut after £800million and four years

Job Centre Plus, London Road, Twickenham, Greater London, England, Great Britain, United Kingdom UK, Europe

UK wages see unexpected rise as unemployment rate holds steady at 4.4 per cent

Placebo band leader Brian Molko has been charged with defamation for calling the Italian PM a fascist and a Nazi during a gig.

British rock star Brian Molko charged after 'calling Italian PM a piece of s*** fascist and a Nazi' during gig

Exclusive
Short sentences and recall periods are keeping offenders in a longer cycle of going to jail, LBC has heard.

'It sent me back to square one': Short sentences create endless cycle of jail time, inmates tell LBC

Shocking footage shows passenger's 'lucky escape' after Delta jet crashes and 'flips' at Toronto airport leaving 18 injured

Shocking footage shows passenger's 'lucky escape' after Delta jet crashes and 'flips' at Toronto airport with 18 injured