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Anjem Choudary among nine men arrested by counter-terror police
The men, who were all seized in London, were arrested as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism
Anjem Choudary, the radical preacher, was one of nine men arrested today by Scotland Yard officers as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism.
The men were arrested this morning on suspicion of being members of, or supporting, a banned organisation, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.
Al-Muhajiroun is understood to be the banned organisation in question, according to sources.
Mr Choudary, 47, a lawyer, has established a reputation for being careful to stay on the right side of the law when he makes controversial comments about race relations and religion.
He has long-standing links with Omar Bakri Mohammed, the hate preacher who was involved in banned groups Al-Muhajiroun and Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Omar Bakri fled Britain in 2005 and was banned from returning by the then home secretary.
Scotland Yard refused to disclose further details of the new arrests or the exact nature of the new inquiry.
Mr Choudary was believed to have been detained an one of the 19 addresses targeted by police teams early this morning.
At about 5am he had sent out a series of Tweets in which he set out his opposition to air strikes on Islamic State (IS) and said the actions would be a "rallying call" for Muslims to support the group.
Neighbours living near Mr Choudary's home in Walthamstow, east London, said there had been a flurry of police activity at the address last week, but no officers were seen there this morning - indicating he was detained elsewhere.
Derek Rayner, 70, a retired painter and decorator, said: "There was a lot of police activity last week and we haven't seen him once. We saw him carrying boxes to his car. His house is being renovated so initially we thought that was why he was moving out boxes, but then the police came
"He has lived here for around two years. I didn't agree with his views on Lee Rigby and the beheadings and we didn't speak to him.
"He used to disappear for weeks on end, there were lots of comings and goings. He drives a Toyota people carrier and we have not seen it for a week.
"I hope he doesn't come back to be honest. I just don't want someone like that on my doorstep."
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "The police activity was definitely last week. The police officers came round and went up the doorstep. We saw two go round the back. There were three cars parked on the street. Later that evening we saw a light on upstairs after the police had gone but nothing since. They have gone."
The arrest operation, run by 'SO15', the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command, was thought to have involved more than 100 officers in total.
Police began searches of 18 addresses across London and one in Stoke on Trent, and the operations are still underway.
The Scotland Yard spokesman said the men, who are aged between 22 and 51.
"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," the spokesman added.
The men are being held on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and encouraging terrorism, contrary to Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Eleven of the raided properties were in east London, one in west London, one in north-west London and five in south London.
A residential property was also being searched in Stoke-on-Trent.
The men are being held at police stations in central London, according to Scotland Yard.
Membership of support for Al-Muhajiroun was made illegal by the Government in January 2010 under the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows ministers to "proscribe" organisations which have extremist views.
In a recent interview with The Telegraphin the wake of the conviction of Abu Hamza in New York on terror charges, Mr Choudary claimed the preacher was a "victim of the war on terror".
Mr Choudary also said he had been "closely associated" with Hamza since the early 1990s.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Mr Choudary said he has no sympathy for Alan Henning, a volunteer aid worker captured in Syria whose life was threatened in a recent video released by IS.
Mr 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."
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who were both jailed in February for the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, were both seen at demonstrations organised by Al-Muhajiroun.
Mr Choudary said he knew Adebolajo, who was pictured beside him at a rally in 2007, while Omar Bakri claimed that he had spoken to the young convert at religious meetings.
Police said the nine men arrested in the latest raids were aged 51, 47, 39, 38, 36, 32, two 31-year-olds and a 22-year-old but refused to disclose further details.
Anjem Choudary among nine men arrested by counter-terror police - Telegraph
Better late than never..this turd has recently been calling on Muslims to support the IS. Hope they find some way to put him away for a long long time
The men, who were all seized in London, were arrested as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism
Anjem Choudary, the radical preacher, was one of nine men arrested today by Scotland Yard officers as part of an investigation into Islamist terrorism.
The men were arrested this morning on suspicion of being members of, or supporting, a banned organisation, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.
Al-Muhajiroun is understood to be the banned organisation in question, according to sources.
Mr Choudary, 47, a lawyer, has established a reputation for being careful to stay on the right side of the law when he makes controversial comments about race relations and religion.
He has long-standing links with Omar Bakri Mohammed, the hate preacher who was involved in banned groups Al-Muhajiroun and Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Omar Bakri fled Britain in 2005 and was banned from returning by the then home secretary.
Scotland Yard refused to disclose further details of the new arrests or the exact nature of the new inquiry.
Mr Choudary was believed to have been detained an one of the 19 addresses targeted by police teams early this morning.
At about 5am he had sent out a series of Tweets in which he set out his opposition to air strikes on Islamic State (IS) and said the actions would be a "rallying call" for Muslims to support the group.
Neighbours living near Mr Choudary's home in Walthamstow, east London, said there had been a flurry of police activity at the address last week, but no officers were seen there this morning - indicating he was detained elsewhere.
Derek Rayner, 70, a retired painter and decorator, said: "There was a lot of police activity last week and we haven't seen him once. We saw him carrying boxes to his car. His house is being renovated so initially we thought that was why he was moving out boxes, but then the police came
"He has lived here for around two years. I didn't agree with his views on Lee Rigby and the beheadings and we didn't speak to him.
"He used to disappear for weeks on end, there were lots of comings and goings. He drives a Toyota people carrier and we have not seen it for a week.
"I hope he doesn't come back to be honest. I just don't want someone like that on my doorstep."
Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "The police activity was definitely last week. The police officers came round and went up the doorstep. We saw two go round the back. There were three cars parked on the street. Later that evening we saw a light on upstairs after the police had gone but nothing since. They have gone."
The arrest operation, run by 'SO15', the Met's Counter-Terrorism Command, was thought to have involved more than 100 officers in total.
Police began searches of 18 addresses across London and one in Stoke on Trent, and the operations are still underway.
The Scotland Yard spokesman said the men, who are aged between 22 and 51.
"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," the spokesman added.
The men are being held on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and encouraging terrorism, contrary to Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
Eleven of the raided properties were in east London, one in west London, one in north-west London and five in south London.
A residential property was also being searched in Stoke-on-Trent.
The men are being held at police stations in central London, according to Scotland Yard.
Membership of support for Al-Muhajiroun was made illegal by the Government in January 2010 under the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows ministers to "proscribe" organisations which have extremist views.
In a recent interview with The Telegraphin the wake of the conviction of Abu Hamza in New York on terror charges, Mr Choudary claimed the preacher was a "victim of the war on terror".
Mr Choudary also said he had been "closely associated" with Hamza since the early 1990s.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Mr Choudary said he has no sympathy for Alan Henning, a volunteer aid worker captured in Syria whose life was threatened in a recent video released by IS.
Mr 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."
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who were both jailed in February for the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, were both seen at demonstrations organised by Al-Muhajiroun.
Mr Choudary said he knew Adebolajo, who was pictured beside him at a rally in 2007, while Omar Bakri claimed that he had spoken to the young convert at religious meetings.
Police said the nine men arrested in the latest raids were aged 51, 47, 39, 38, 36, 32, two 31-year-olds and a 22-year-old but refused to disclose further details.
Anjem Choudary among nine men arrested by counter-terror police - Telegraph
Better late than never..this turd has recently been calling on Muslims to support the IS. Hope they find some way to put him away for a long long time
