LONDON: Convicted Pakistani-British hate preacher Anjem Choudary was on Monday morning detained on suspicion of a terrorism offense, police said.
He was still being questioned in west London on Tuesday following his arrest at his Ilford home over allegations he was a member of a banned organization.
The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism unit also arrested a Canadian national at Heathrow Airport on Monday afternoon in connection with the Choudary allegations.
No details have yet been given as to which group Choudary has been accused of being a member of.
In a statement, the force said: “Counter-terrorism detectives have arrested two men as part of an investigation into suspected terrorism offences.
“The officers arrested a 56-year-old man from east London in the area at approximately 5:40 a.m.
“They arrested a 28-year-old Canadian national at Heathrow airport at approximately 12:35 p.m. after he arrived on a flight from Canada.
“Both were arrested on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organization, contrary to section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
“The men are currently being held under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at a west London police station. Police searches of three addresses in east London are ongoing.”
Choudary, who was featured in Arab News’ “Preachers of Hate” series, is one of the UK’s most prominent Islamic extremists, heading up hate groups including Al-Muhajiroun.
The group, which was banned by the British government under anti-terrorism laws following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and the July 7, 2005 suicide bombings in London, has previously described the 9/11 attackers as “magnificent martyrs.”
Choudhary was sentenced in the UK in September 2016 to five-and-a-half years for encouraging Muslims to join Daesh but served just under half of the sentence.
