Anjem Choudary

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[[File:Anjem choudary.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Anjem Choudary in 2011. Clearly a sucker for little hats (though likely not a member of the green berets).]]
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{{cquote|I also believe firmly in the concept of Izhar ud-Deen i.e. the domination of the world by Islam... I believe that one day Britain and indeed every part of the world (including the rest of Europe, USA, China and Russia etc…) will be governed by and under the authority of the Muslims implementing Islamic Law. This is something that I believe in and strive to see Insha’Allah.|||Anjem Choudary<ref group=note>Originally written in the 'About Me' section on his now defunct website.</ref>}}
'''Anjem Choudary''' (born 1967) is a Pakistani British [[Muslim]] looney, [[Terrorism|terrorist]],<ref name=conviction2/> and convicted criminal who, to the embarrassment of its population, lives in [[United Kingdom|Britain]].<ref name=bbc-37098751>http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-37098751</ref> He studied law, becoming chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers until his removal from the role in 2002.<ref name=telegraph/>

In 2015, Choudary was charged under the [[Terrorism_Acts|Terrorism Act 2000]] with inviting support for the [[ISIS|Islamic State]] and was convicted in July 2016.<ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33784926</ref><ref name=bbc-37098751 /> In September 2016, he was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.<ref name=conviction1>{{cite news|title=Radical cleric Anjem Choudary guilty of inviting IS support|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37098751|accessdate=16 August 2016|work=BBC News|date=16 August 2016|deadurl=no|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816144917/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37098751|archivedate=16 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He was released after just two years.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45911160</ref> Choudary was arrested again in 2023 and convicted of leading a terrorist organisation,<ref name=conviction2>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c729598n1d4o|work=BBC News|date=23 July 2024|title=How top terror recruiter Anjem Choudary was brought to justice}}</ref> and on July 30, 2024, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

==Organisations==
He has been aligned with a number of radical Islamic groups. In the late nineties, he co-founded al-Muhajiroun, an organisation that was later banned under anti-terrorist legislation in 2004;<ref name=telegraph>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/6930447/Anjem-Choudary-profile.html</ref><ref name=guardian>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/aug/10/july7.terrorism2</ref> he was also associated with al-Ghurabaa, which was banned by John Reid in 2006.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5188136.stm</ref> After this, he led [[Islam4UK]],<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8459410.stm</ref> which was banned in 2010;<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8453560.stm</ref> the Government decided at this time that the group, along with al-Muhajiroun, al-Ghurabaa, and several other organisations (Call to Submission, Islamic Path, [[London]] School of Sharia, and the Saved Sect) should be treated as the same group under different names.<ref>http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/counter-terrorism/proscribed-terror-groups/proscribed-groups?view=Binary</ref> He became involved with [[Muslims Against Crusades]]<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110421050925/http://www.tntmagazine.com/tnt-today/archive/2011/04/19/royal-wedding-protest-planned-by-muslims-against-crusades.aspx</ref> until that too was banned.

==Views and activities==
Choudary has been a proponent of implementing [[Sharia]] in the Western world, mainly focusing on Britain and the U.S., with the usual idiocy that entails.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20150415015500/https://didyoustealmycountry.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/stone-homosexuals-and-adulterors-to-death-anjem-choudary/</ref>

In 2011, he announced a rally at the [[White House]], but it was cancelled.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110304231434/http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/03/02/anjem_choudary_america/index.html</ref> He also announced plans to protest at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110421050925/http://www.tntmagazine.com/tnt-today/archive/2011/04/19/royal-wedding-protest-planned-by-muslims-against-crusades.aspx</ref> but cancelled those plans as well.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8476691/Radical-Muslim-group-cancels-royal-wedding-protest-amid-terrorism-fears.html</ref> He planned to protest against the [[burqa]] ban in [[France]], but was barred from entering the country.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1375265/UK-Muslims-including-Anjem-Choudary-arrested-France-burka-protest.html</ref>

Choudary was a supporter of [[Osama bin Laden]]; commenting on the deaths that occured on [[9/11]] (the perpetrators of which he describes as "magnificent martyrs"<ref name=guardian/>), Choudary argues that the American army has also killed people, which he appears to believe justifies the atrocity. In response to the killing of bin Laden in May 2011, Choudary organised a protest at the US Embassy in London; attendees held placards with slogans such as "Islam will dominate the world". He called on the US to return the remains of bin Laden to the deceased terrorist's relatives<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110510113944/http://www.metro.co.uk/news/862613-extremists-hold-osama-bin-laden-funeral-at-us-embassy-in-london</ref> (think they'd really want them? He must be pretty damp by now, not to mention smelly...).

He has also apparently called for the assassination of the [[Pope]].<ref name=telegraph/>

==Media appearances==
Choudary often popped up as a talking head on British TV and radio, appearing on Channel 4's ''4thought'' strand,<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110118093322/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4thoughttv/episode-guide/series-1/episode-155</ref> [[BBC]] Radio 4's ''The Report''<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20110817142201/http://hurryupharry.org/2011/08/13/shoddy-work-by-the-bbc/</ref> and more than once on BBC's ''Newsnight''.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4700976.stm</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20100119074810/http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/index.php/component/content/article/612</ref> This is rather curious, considering that a sizable controversy surrounded the episode of ''Question Time'' featuring [[BNP]] leader Nick Griffin,<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8319136.stm</ref> a man no more nutty than Choudary.

Despite a dislike for the BBC, Choudary will occasionally be invited onto talk shows to discuss events involving Muslim extremism.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/may/24/bbc-channel-4-anjem-choudary</ref><ref>http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/bbc-news-chief-defends-anjem-choudary-interview-face-calls-ban-hate-preachers</ref> Predictably, after these appearances, everyone calls for him to be jailed before people remember that no-one cares what he thinks and goes back to watching Downton Abbey.

Presumably because the UK has become bored with him by now, Choudary has also made appearances on American news stations, including [[CNN]]<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A75Vg__GcqQ</ref> and [[Fox News]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120102051459/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRyI7x-rpCM&gl=US&hl=en</ref> In the case of the latter, he is useful to Fox to act as a [[stereotype]] of all Muslims. However, it led to the only recorded occasion of [[Sean Hannity]] stating a [[fact]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120102051459/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRyI7x-rpCM&gl=US&hl=en</ref>

==Life before [[wingnut|wingnuttery]]==
In 2010, images of Choudary during his time as a law student surfaced.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1161909/Swilling-beer-smoking-dope-leering-porn-hate-preacher-Andy-Choudary.html</ref> At the time, ''Andy'' Choudary was fond of [[drugs]], [[sex]], [[beer]], [[porn]] without models wearing [[burqa|burqas]], and various other [[fun|insults to Allah]].

Presumably, [[Allah|his deity]] has forgiven him because none of the pictures depict him with a bacon sandwich and/or engaging in gay sex with a minimum of four witnesses. Oh, and [[Fun:chocolate|chocolate]] milkshakes are a-okay.<ref>http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/jihad-milkshake</ref>

==Links to terrorism==
Choudary has a long history of involvement with Islamic terrorism. As mentioned above, the organisation he co-founded as well as many others he was involved with have been officially designated as terror groups. Choudary was a personal friend of multiple confirmed jihadists, including the perpetrator of the {{wpl|2019 London Bridge stabbing}},<ref>https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/usman-khan-who-was-the-knifeman-xsb8g72n2</ref> one of the murderers of [[Lee Rigby]],<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/10/anjem-choudary-court-marriage-lee-rigby-banned-al-muhajirou/ Anjem Choudary officiated at marriage of Lee Rigby killer, court told], ''The Daily Telegraph'', 10 July 2024.</ref> and a ''literal [[ISIS]] propagandist'' named Siddhartha Dhar.<ref name="appalling extremist">[https://news.sky.com/story/anjem-choudary-the-life-of-an-appalling-extremist-11529327 Anjem Choudary: The life of an 'appalling' extremist] by Lucinda Binding, ''Sky News'', 19 October 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/13638482.Mother_feared_to_have_taken_children_to_Syria_linked_with_high_ranking_ISIS_man/ Mother feared to have taken children to Syria linked with high ranking ISIS man]</ref> When a group of [[al-Qaeda]] sympathisers were caught plotting to bomb the London Stock Exchange, at least six of them were directly linked to Choudary.<ref name="appalling extremist"/> One police officer who helped investigate the infamous [[7/7]] attacks reportedly said that Choudary was connected to every Muslim terror plot he had ever researched prior to 2024.<ref name="appalling extremist"/>

Self-describing as a "jihad seeker", Choudary is credited with radicalising dozens of British Muslims into extremism, including suicide bombers.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36979892</ref> He has openly boasted of being Britain's "number one radicaliser" and described himself as a fanatic.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/anjem-choudary-facing-life-in-jail-after-being-found-guilty-of-directing-terrorism-13183583|title=Anjem Choudary facing life in jail after being found guilty of directing terrorism|work=Sky News|date=23 July 2024|author=Duncan Gardham}}</ref>

===Convictions===
Choudary and another man were arrested in 2015 for a series of online lectures in which they publicly praised and swore allegiance to Islamic State.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/05/europe/uk-radical-cleric-choudary-charged/index.html|title=Radical UK cleric Anjem Choudary charged with inviting support for ISIS|date=5 August 2015|author=Laura Smith-Spark|work=CNN}}</ref> Both men were found guilty of "inviting support for a proscribed organisation", made illegal by section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Choudary was sentenced to five years and six months in prison,<ref name=conviction1/> but did not serve the full sentence.

In 2023, an investigation by British, American and Canadian police found that the long-banned al-Muhajiroun was still recruiting in secret with Choudary as leader, under the alias "Islamic Thinkers' Society".<ref name=conviction2/> Choudary was said to be the group's interim leader after the original leader {{wpl|Omar Bakri Muhammad}} was arrested in Lebanon. Choudary and one of his followers were arrested on July 17 2023 and Choudary was charged with directing terrorism, of which he was convicted in July 2024.<ref>{{cite news|work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/e9a52766-610d-4196-966e-99604d5959f6|title=Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary convicted in UK of leading terrorist group|date=23 July 2024|author=William Wallis}}</ref> A week after his trial, he received a life sentence at the age of 57, and will not be eligible for parole until 2051, when he will be 85 years old, assuming he is still alive at that point.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ara.tv/v2gju|title=Radical UK preacher jailed for life for terrorism offenses|work=Al Arabiya News|date=30 July 2024}}</ref>

==Notes==
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==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudary, Anjem}}
[[Category:Convicted felons]]
[[Category:Criminals]]
[[Category:Fascists]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Islamic extremism]]
[[Category:Islamic fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
[[Category:Muslims]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Racists]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Terrorists]]
[[Category:Transphobes]]

Categories: Convicted felons, Criminals, Fascists, Homophobes, Islamic extremism, Islamic fundamentalism, Islamism, Muslims, Living people, Racists, Right-wing activists, Terrorists, Transphobes