Hate preacher Anjem Choudary prowls streets unsupervised in UK terror hotbed despite bail conditions
HATE preacher Anjem Choudary prowls the streets at night unsupervised in one of the UK’s terror hotbeds — days after returning home following his release from jail.
The radical cleric, who is subject to around 25 of the most stringent bail conditions, was twice seen roaming around alone under the cover of darkness for visits to a mosque.
Security chiefs had vowed to watch dangerous Choudary, 52, “very, very carefully” when he was released to a bail hostel six months ago, with his monitoring costing the taxpayer £2million a year.
But astonishingly, Ministry of Justice staff last night said he was not in breach of his bail conditions by being out alone.
And they were unable to confirm whether one of the most dangerous men in Britain — whose disciples include Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo and London Bridge attacker Khuram Butt — is even under a curfew.
Choudary served two years of a 5½-year sentence for inciting support for IS. But security experts told The Sun on Sunday they were stunned he was now allowed to wander the streets of Ilford, East London, so late at night.
MR HATE’S LATE NIGHT
Chris Phillips, the former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, said: “I think it’s a disgrace Choudary has been allowed out halfway through his sentence anyway. He still poses a great danger to society.
“But Choudary walking around late does not seem right. It’s quite alarming that the people of Ilford aren’t allowed to know what Choudary’s licence conditions are.”
The revelation comes as a Sun on Sunday investigation finds children as young as eight are being quizzed by anti-cops amid fears of radicalisation in Choudary’s home town.
Fiyaz Mughal, director of Faith Matters and founder of Tell MAMA, said: “Seeing Choudary walking around at night is a deeply saddening sight. It doesn’t provide anything other than increased fear in Muslim communities.
“It seems extremist criminals in this country have more rights than law-abiding citizens.
“Now he’s back, Choudary will become the touchstone for Islamist groups who will reconnect and descend on the borough.
“It is high time that we act to break up the networks and safe spaces and challenge the ungoverned private spaces where Choudary and his group meets.”
The cleric is believed to be banned from travelling outside the M25, speaking to children, organising meetings, attending certain mosques and was widely reported to have a night-time curfew.
It seems extremist criminals in this country have more rights than law-abiding citizens.
Fiyaz Mughal
Choudary, who returned to his three-bed terraced house this week, is also on a tag to supposedly monitor his movements.
He was seen leaving his home alone just after 8.30pm on Thursday and visited a house 200 yards away.
He then went to a local mosque shortly before 10pm with around 80 other worshippers and did not arrive back home until 10.50pm.
The dad of five attended the mosque at a similar time the following night. He lives just 500 yards from the site of the Ummah Fitness Centre — where Pakistan-born Butt and his terror pals met up days before the London Bridge attack.
HIS EVIL DISCIPLES
Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, all had links to Choudary’s banned group al-Muhajiroun, which is responsible for sending Brits abroad to fight for IS.
All three were shot and killed by cops after their 2017 attack left eight dead and 48 injured.
Locals said the gym closed this year and is being turned into flats — but they are worried the extremists have simply moved elsewhere.
One man, who only wanted to be known as Ahmed, said: “Hundreds of people used to come through their doors most days. I can’t believe they were all working out.
“Anyone with young, influential kids is terrified Choudary is back to potentially poison their views.”
Less than a mile away is the Eton Community School, formerly Ad-Deen Primary, where Butt was allowed to volunteer to read to kids at an after-school club.
He told them that non-Muslims were “the worst creatures”.
‘HAVING CHOUDARY BACK IS BAD NEWS’
Headteacher Sophie Rahman, 43, has since been banned from teaching after a probe into her hiring of Butt. And we can reveal she too had a link to al-Muhajiroun as the father of her children had been a member.
Anyone with young, influential kids is terrified Choudary is back to potentially poison their views.
Ahmed
At another Ilford school — which cannot be named for legal reasons — a Year Three boy was questioned by police over teachers’ concerns his dad was linked to a terror group.
The father, who denies the claims and is considering legal action, said: “We are appalled . . . and deeply upset some stranger would ask these questions. Our son is significantly impacted by this.”
Two other schools in the area — in which around 34 per cent of children live in poverty — have published anti-radicalisation guides, such is the air of fear.
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Haras Rafiq, of think tank Quilliam, said: “I’d be worried about living near Anjem Choudary. He will be a hero to his network.”
Retired nurse Jennie Worthington, 64, added: “Ilford has a Muslim community to be proud of, but having someone like Choudary back is really bad news.”
The MoJ said public protection is its “overriding priority” and breaches of licence conditions could see offenders sent back to jail.
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