NOTORIOUS Islamist hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been release from prison on parole after serving half of his five-and-a-half-year sentence for publicly supporting the Islamic State terror group.
The radical cleric was jailed in 2016 for inviting support for ISIS, and served most of his sentence at Frankland high security prison in Durham before being moved to Belmarsh – where he was released shortly after 4am today.
Former solicitor Choudary, 51, was taken in one of two unmarked police cars to a bail hostel in north London, where he will serve his parole under strict supervision by the security services.
Choudary pictured with Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo at a rally prior to the soldier's 2013 murderIt emerged earlier this week that taxpayers will fork out around £2 million-a-year to protect and monitor Choudary around the clock under multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa).
Choudary, from Ilford in east London, will wear a GPS electronic tag and is banned from going outside the M25 or visiting specific venues such as Regent’s Park Mosque, where he used to worship.
Conditions of his parole include:
- Banned from going outside the M25, or from travelling abroad
- Banned from contacting members of ISIS or al-Qaeda
- Banned from contacting fellow extremist Mohammed Mizanur Rahman and other known radicals
- Banned from speaking to children
- Banned from organising meetings, speaking to the press, or going to certain mosques
- Restrictions on mobile phone and internet usage
Choudary came to prominence in the early 2000s in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.
He toured the UK with his Islamist extremist group, Al-Muhajiroun, carrying out public protests against the British Government and returning soldiers.
The killers of British Army Fusilier Lee Rigby - Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale – as well as London Bridge attack ringleader Khuram Butt, were all associated with Al-Muhajiroun which is now banned in the UK and listed as a terrorist organisation by the US State Department.
Another of Choudary's former associates was Irish-born Terrence 'Khalid' Kelly – also known as Abu Osama Al-Irlandi or Taliban Terry – who blew himself up while fighting for ISIS in Mosul, Iraq in 2016.
Kelly, a former nurse, was at one time the leader of Al-Muhajiroun in Ireland.
The pair appeared together on the Late Late Show with Pat Kenny in 2003 to explain their extremist views.
Any breach of Choudary's licence conditions will likely result in his immediate return to custody.
In a separate measure his name has been added to a UN sanctions list, which means he is subject to an assets freeze and travel ban.
