Pakistani-origin radical Islamist preacher freed from UK jail

Press Trust of India  |  London 

A Pakistani-origin radical Islamist was freed from a UK jail on Friday after serving less than half of his five-and-a-half-year sentence for inviting support to the Islamic State group.

Under around 25 strict conditions imposed on him include having to stay at a monitored probation hostel over the next few months, not being allowed to leave and not being allowed to interact with the media or preach to young people.

Any mosque he would wish to attend would have to be vetted by security officials and he will remain under surveillance as part of efforts to ensure he is not allowed to radicalise others.

The and intelligence service are expected to be among a host of agencies involved in monitoring him in the community, under surveillance plans that will remain in place until the end of his sentencing period of five-and-a-half years.

Some of Choudary's other strict conditions cover electronic tagging; a night-time curfew; requirements to stay within a set area; a ban on contacting individuals who he knows or believes to have been charged with or convicted of extremist-related offences without prior approval; and restrictions relating to the and ownership.

Any breach of licence conditions can result in immediate return to custody.

UK-born was jailed at the in in September 2016 for radical preaching and urging Muslims to support the terrorist group

The so-called "hate preacher" was reportedly being held in a "separation centre" at Her (HMP) Frankland in County

Choudary, who led the Islamist group Al Muhajiroun until it was proscribed by the government in 2010, was accused of pledging an oath of allegiance to

In his sentencing remarks, Justice described Choudary as "dangerous" and "more calculating" than his fellow Islamist Mohammed Rahman, who was also jailed for five-and-a-half years for supporting Islamic State (ISIS).

"You show no remorse at all for anything you have said or done, and I have no doubt you will continue to communicate your message whenever you can," said

Among Choudary's many UK followers was Indian-origin fighter Siddhartha Dhar, dubbed as "Jihadi Sid" by the UK media, who went on to become one of the senior commanders of the group in

The British Hindu, who converted to Islam and adopted the name Abu Rumaysah, had skipped police bail in the UK to travel to with his wife and young children in 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, October 19 2018. 13:20 IST