Radical British preacher Anjem Choudary has been charged with terror-related charges connected to 'encouraging' the Islamic State (Isis).
France24 citing the Crown Prosecution Service said Choudary (48) and Mohammed Mizanur Rahman (32) were charged with inviting support for Islamic State, a banned terrorist organisation, between 29 June, 2014 and 6 March, 2015.
Both Choudary and Rahman have been accused of publicising support for Isis through lectures published online.
Sue Hemming, head of Special Crime and Counter-terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said that the Metropolitan Police's Counter-terrorism Command found sufficient evidence against them. It was in the public interest to prosecute them both, Hemming said according to The Guardian.
BBC reported that both the men have been charged under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. If convicted, Choudary could face a prison term of at least ten years.
Choudary was previously a solicitor and served as the chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers. He was among the leaders of the banned Islamist group, Islam4UK.
Choudary, who opposes UK's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, had praised the 11 September 2001 and 7 July, 2005 attackers. He supports the implementation of Sharia law throughout the UK. He was previously investigated, but not charged, for his comments in 2006 regarding Pope Benedict XVI.
