A Canadian man arrested in the U.K. has been convicted on multiple charges of terrorism for his involvement with an Islamic extremist organization linked to several deadly attacks.
Edmonton-born Khaled Hussein was sentenced alongside Anjem Choudary, a British citizen, in a London, U.K. court a week after the two were convicted of multiple charges under Britain’s Terrorism Act.
Hussein received a maximum sentence of five years in prison with an additional sixth year on conditional release.
After he serves two-thirds of his five year sentence, the British Parole Board will decide whether to release Hussein on conditions or for him to continue his sentence.
Following his release, he will remain subject to notification requirements for 15 years.
Choudary was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years for his role as leader of the terrorist organization Al Muhajiroun since 2014.
Hussein joined as a member in 2020.
“I am sure that you were in awe of Anjem Choudary and became involved in this offence partly because of his influence over you,” Justice Mark Wall told Hussein during sentencing.
“However, I am equally sure that you knew full well what you were getting involved in and were anxious to become ever more deeply involved in it.”
Wall determined that Hussein acted as an aid to Choudry “in a number of ways” despite living in Canada.
He assisted the leader in creating websites and distributing magazines which enabled Choudary to “spread his message.”
According to the London Metropolitan Police, Hussein “was effectively acting as a personal assistant to Choudary,” tasked with organizing online lectures with other extremists and editing extremist online blogs and publications Al Muhajiroun.
Hussein was first identified as a person of interest as a result of an RCMP investigation into counterterrorism that was launched in 2019, following an undercover officer discovering the connection between Huessein and Choudary.
It was later learned that Hussein was to travel to London from Edmonton to meet Choudary in June 2023 and authorities arrested him in London a month after his arrival.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner for the Northwest Region Lisa Moreland said that cases like Hussein’s are “a reminder that extremism can take hold anywhere and that we must all remain vigilant” in a statement released Tuesday.
Members of Al Muhajiroun are linked to the deadly attacks which occurred on the London Bridge in 2017 and 2019.
The RCMP also confirmed that Al Muhajiroun members were involved in the 2017 Westminster Bridge attack that killed five people, including a police officer.
Wall said that Choudary’s leadership of Al Muhajiroun “ran the risk of causing or contributing to the deaths of very many people.”
“In addition, by running an organization such as Al Muhajiroun, you contributed in a significant way to the fear of terrorist attack by radical Islamic organizations which then existed in this country and abroad,” said Wall during Choudary’s sentencing.
Wall went on to say that Choudary encouraged others to carry out violent acts with the knowledge that it would be harder for authorities to link their crimes back to him.
In the trials of both men, evidence collected by the RCMP was presented in a way which the London Metropolitan Police called essential to their convictions.
“I have no doubt that these convictions and the resulting sentences have left communities here in London, and also right across the U.K. and beyond, much safer,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the London force’s Counter Terrorism Command in a statement.
