Daily Star Sunday

Jihadi nut got £140k legal aid

- ■ by JIMMY McCLOSKEY ■ by ISOBEL DICKINSON

JAILED hate preacher Anjem Choudary received more than £140,000 in legal aid during his failed bid to evade prison for supporting Islamic State.

The British-born Muslim extremist racked up £98,122 in solicitors’ fees, £23,569 for a separate court lawyer, and £18,866 in legal firm expenses.

And the huge sums, revealed by a Freedom of Informatio­n request, are set to spiral further as lawyers for the terror sympathise­r continue to claim cash.

Choudary, 50, was jailed last August after being convicted at the Old Bailey of “inviting support for a proscribed organisati­on”.

Choudary and his deputy Mizanur Rahman – who was convicted of the same offence – were jailed for five years.

The court heard how Choudary swore an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The pair also highlighte­d Muslims’ obligation to “make hiraj” – travel to Isisoccupi­ed lands.

The bearded ex-lawyer became notorious after spouting bile against the UK government and troops.

Among his most infamous protests was a stunt in which he and supporters burned Remembranc­e Day poppies.

He also sparked fury by proudly claiming around £500,000 in benefits during his vile campaign, which he dubbed “Jihadseeke­rs allowance”. starring in a brand new Channel 4 documentar­y Bear About The House: Living With My Supersize Pet alongside a host of normally deadly animals.

The documentar­y is directed ■

by Ross Haley who travels the world to meet some very unusual pets.

Ross also visited the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, where Vicki Lowing lives with three saltwater crocodiles.

And he visits Mike and ■

Valerie Fogel, a couple in Minnesota, US, who live with their giant one-tonne buffalo named Cody.

The documentar­y will be shown tomorrow at 8pm.

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 ??  ?? EXTREMIST: Choudary
EXTREMIST: Choudary

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