Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has been remanded in custody after being charged with a series of terrorism offences.
The 56-year-old from east London was arrested a week ago in a dawn raid by Metropolitan Police officers on his Ilford home.
Scotland Yard announced on Monday morning that Choudary has now been charged with three alleged offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.
He is charged with membership of a banned organisation, addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation, and directing a terrorist organisation.
The father-of-five was flanked by two officers in suits as he appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Monday.
Prosecutor Warren Stanier said Choudary and a second defendant, Canadian resident Khaled Hussein, are both accused of being members of the banned organisation Al-Muhajiroun.
“It involves an extreme form of Islam”, he said. “That is reflected in the ideology of Al-Muhajiroun, a proscribed organisation in this country in Janaury 2010.”
It is said Al-Muhajiroun has been reborn under a different name, the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), and Choudary is accused of giving a series of lectures to ITS.
Mr Stanier said Hussein is accused of being a member of the banned group for around two years, and has been “working for (Choudary) in the online space to provide a platform for the words and messages of the organisation”.
Nick Price, from the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said in a statement before the court hearing: “The CPS has authorised charges in relation to Anjem Choudary and Khaled Hussein under the Terrorism Act.
“The charges relate to the proscribed organisation Al-Muhajiroun, also known as the Islamic Thinkers Society.
“Criminal proceedings against Mr Choudary and Mr Hussein are now active and they each have the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
“The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.”
Hussein, 28, from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, was arrested at Heathrow airport last Monday, and has been charged with membership of a proscribed organisation.
Both men have spent the last week in custody as the investigation, by counter-terrorism detectives, continued.
Choudary, wearing spectacles and with a long greying beard, wore a white robe and a black jacket for the court hearing.
Hussein gave no indication of plea to the charge he faces, while Choudary was not asked to enter any pleas.
Both men were remanded in custody by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring until hearings at the Central Criminal Court on August 4.
