LONDON (AP) — Anjem Choudary, a radical British preacher, entered a plea of not guilty in a London courtroom on Monday to two terrorism-related charges. The charges include membership in the banned organization al-Muhajiroun and addressing meetings to encourage support for the group.
The British government designated Al-Muhajiroun as a banned organization in 2010 due to its involvement in activities related to terrorism. Despite the ban, the group has continued to operate under various names, such as the Islamic Thinkers Society, where Choudary has reportedly spoken.
Choudary, a prominent Islamist preacher, is set to stand trial on June 4 at Kingston Crown Court alongside Khaled Hussein. The trial is anticipated to span up to two months. Hussein, a 29-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, also pleaded not guilty to membership in al-Muhajiroun.
Both Choudary and Hussein appeared via video link from separate jails at the Central Criminal Court, commonly known as the Old Bailey. Their arrests took place on June 17, following Hussein's arrival at Heathrow Airport.
