Canadian sentenced to 5 years in prison for terrorism offences in U.K.

A Canadian nationalist was sentenced to 5 years successful situation by a British tribunal connected Tuesday for participating successful a terrorist statement that has been linked to deadly attacks successful nan U.K.

Khaled Hussein, a Canadian national and resident of Edmonton, was sentenced alongside Anjem Choudary, a British citizen, successful London’s Woolwich Crown Court a week aft they were convicted connected aggregate charges nether Britain’s Terrorism Act.

Choudary was sentenced to life successful situation pinch a minimum word of 28 years, minus astir a twelvemonth already served, for serving arsenic nan leader of nan group Al Muhajiroun since 2014. Hussein was a personnel of nan group, besides known arsenic nan Islamic Thinkers Society, opening successful 2020.

“I americium judge that you were successful awe of Anjem Choudary and became progressive successful this offence partially because of his power complete you,” Justice Mark Wall told Hussein successful his sentencing remarks.

“However, I americium arsenic judge that you knew afloat good what you were getting progressive successful and were anxious to go ever much profoundly progressive successful it.”

The tribunal recovered Hussein helped Choudary “in a number of ways” contempt being constricted successful his engagement by surviving successful Canada. That assistance included helping to group up websites and administer magazines that allowed Choudary to “spread his message,” Wall said.

The London Metropolitan Police said Hussein “was efficaciously acting arsenic a individual adjunct to Choudary,” helped him big online lectures pinch different extremists and edited extremist online blogs and publications for nan organization.

The RCMP identified Hussein arsenic a personification of liking during a counterterrorism investigation that began successful 2019, pinch an undercover serviceman later determining nan relationship betwixt Hussein and Choudary. Investigators past learned that Hussein planned to recreation from Edmonton to London successful June 2023, and was arrested upon landing successful London a period later.

Wall said Hussein had travelled to London to meet Choudary.

Hussein will service a maximum of 5 successful years successful prison, followed by a sixth twelvemonth connected licence aft release. The British Parole Board will find whether to merchandise Hussein connected licence early aft he serves a minimum of two-thirds of his five-year situation sentence. He will besides beryllium taxable to notification requirements for 15 years pursuing his release.

The investigation and resulting convictions are “a reminder that extremism tin return clasp anyplace and that we must each stay vigilant,” Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland, location commandant for nan RCMP’s Northwest Region, said successful a connection Tuesday.

Choudary — who was antecedently convicted of coercion offences successful 2016 and sentenced to complete 5 years successful situation — was a founding personnel of Al Muhajiroun, which is simply a listed violent statement successful nan U.K. He took complete activity of nan group aft its original leader, Omar Bakhri Mohammed, was imprisoned successful Lebanon successful 2014.

Individual members of Al Muhajiroun, which is aligned pinch nan Islamic State, person been linked to fatal attacks connected nan London Bridge successful 2017 and 2019. The RCMP said past week successful announcing Hussein’s condemnation that Al Muhajiroun members were besides linked to nan 2017 Westminster Bridge onslaught that killed 5 people, including a constabulary officer.

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Wall said Choudary’s actions while directing Al Muhajiroun ” ran nan consequence of causing aliases contributing to nan deaths of very galore people.”

“In addition, by moving an statement specified arsenic Al Muhajiroun, you contributed successful a important measurement to nan fearfulness of violent onslaught by extremist Islamic organizations which past existed successful this state and abroad,” Wall said astatine nan sentencing hearing.

Wall added that Choudary supported encouraged individual members to transportation retired convulsive acts pinch nan knowledge it would beryllium difficult for rule enforcement to nexus their actions backmost to him.

The judge accrued nan minimum condemnation for Choudary from 25 to 28 years owed successful portion to his erstwhile condemnation and “that (he) sought to groom young group into (his) measurement of reasoning and into joining nan organization.” Wall noted he had “no doubt” Choudary is simply a vulnerable offender owed to his “entrenched” views, including denial of nan Holocaust and evident support of nan Sept. 11, 2001, violent attacks successful nan United States.

“I do not condemnation you for holding those views, but nan truth that you genuinely clasp specified utmost views coupled pinch your history of unlawful behaviour is an denotation of nan threat you airs into nan future,” Wall told Choudary.

“I americium judge that you will proceed to preach your connection of dislike and section erstwhile aliases if you are fixed nan opportunity to do truthful successful nan future.”

Evidence collected successful Canada by nan RCMP was presented successful tribunal during nan proceedings of some men, which nan agency and nan London Metropolitan Police said was basal to securing nan convictions.

“I person nary uncertainty that these convictions and nan resulting sentences person near communities present successful London, and besides correct crossed nan U.K. and beyond, overmuch safer,” Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads nan London force’s Counter Terrorism Command, said successful a statement.

—With files from Global’s Uday Rana