Radical preacher Anjem Choudary’s ban on speaking in public lifted

A BAN on radical preacher Anjem Choudary speaking in public is being lifted as licence conditions which were imposed after his release from prison come to an end.

He was jailed five years ago for inviting support for the Islamic State terror group, and left Belmarsh high-security jail on licence in 2018.

Choudary, from Ilford in east London, was freed automatically halfway through a five-and-a-half year sentence.

A string of more than 20 strict licence conditions which Choudary has been subject to since his release expired yesterday.

As well as being prohibited from speaking in public, his internet and mobile phone use was restricted and he was banned from being in contact with people who may be suspected of extremist-related offences without prior approval.

He had to wear an electronic tag and abide by a night-time curfew, attend only pre-approved mosques and stay within a set area, as well as adhere to other standard requirements, like having regular meetings with probation officers.

Police and MI5 were thought to be among a host of bodies involved in monitoring him under the system known as multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa). Separate measures saw his name added to a UN sanctions list, which meant he was banned from travelling and had assets frozen.

Once a leading figure in the now-banned group al-Muhajiroun (ALM), the former solicitor had previously stayed on the right side of the law for years – despite being seen as a radicalising influence.

From the 1990s, the father-offive was a prominent figure in ALM, which also operated under several other names.

For over 20 years, he voiced controversial views on Sharia law while building up a following of thousands through social media, demonstrations and lectures around the world.