Anjem Choudary - Views and Marches

Views and Marches

Look, at the end of the day innocent people—when we say 'innocent people' we mean Muslims—as far as non-Muslims are concerned they have not accepted Islam and as far as we are concerned that is a crime against God.

“ ” Anjem Choudary, BBC HARDtalk (8 August 2005)

Since the disbandment of al-Muhajiroun, Choudary has often praised Muslim terrorists. He referred to the 11 September terrorists as "magnificent martyrs", and in 2003 appeared to endorse terrorist attacks by British Muslims, saying that al-Muhajiroun would "encourage people to fulfil their Islamic duties and responsibilities". In 2004 he said that a terror attack on British soil was "a matter of time"; following the 7 July 2005 London bombings he refused to condemn the atrocities. In 2008 he attacked the Muslim Council of Britain (who had condemned the 11 September and 7 July terrorist attacks), accusing them of "selling their souls to the devil". in an Interview with CBN news Mr Choudary said that “You can't say that Islam is a religion of peace, Because Islam does not mean peace. Islam means submission." Following Osama Bin Laden's death, Choudary stated that "For Obama, killing an old man and his family in his home is justice...That is the justice of the Americans – occupation, murder, mayhem, imprisonment. That is the only justice that they know. We are here to say: That is injustice. Whenever you have man-made law, whenever you rule by other than what Allah has revealed, you will have injustice, you will have oppression. The biggest Satan, the biggest oppressor, the biggest criminal in the world today is Barack Obama, his henchmen, and his allies."

Choudary has regularly attended public marches, and following a protest march outside the Danish Embassy in London on 3 February 2006, held in response to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, he was a member of a panel of interviewees on the BBC news programme, Newsnight. He defended Muslims in Britain, saying that "we live in peace with the host community, we are not allowed to target people here", and claimed that the police had inspected and allowed the controversial placards used in the demonstration. Choudary was heavily criticised by his fellow panellists, who included the MP for Keighley Ann Cryer, Humera Khan, of the al-Nisa Muslim Women's Group (who accused him of demonising Islam), vice-chair of the Conservative Party Sayeeda Warsi, professor Tariq Ramadan (who claimed that Choudary's actions were designed to evoke a strong response from the media), and leader of the UK Independence Party Roger Knapman. On 15 March 2006 he was among five men arrested in connection with the demonstration, which had been organised by al Ghurabaa. He was arrested again on 4 May at Stansted Airport for an alleged breach of bail, and charged with organising the protest without notifying police. He was bailed to appear before Bow Street Magistrates Court on 11 May. On 4 July 2006 he was convicted and fined £500 with £300 court costs.

The following day, at an Al Ghurabaa press conference at the Al Badr centre in Leyton, Choudary claimed that the blame for the London bombings lay with the British government, and said that the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair had "blood on his hands". He also urged Muslims to defend themselves against perceived attacks by "whatever means they have at their disposal", and referred to the 2 June 2006 Forest Gate raid in which Mohammed Abdul Kahar was shot in the shoulder. He encouraged Muslims not to co-operate with the police under any circumstances. Local council leader Clyde Loakes criticised Choudary's comments, stating "I am sure the vast majority of Waltham Forest residents do not support these views." Several days later, on 9 June 2006, Choudary organised a demonstration outside the Forest Gate police station in London, to protest against the arrest of the Forest Gate men. About 35 men and 15 women attended the demonstration. The family of the two men said that the police raid represented "barbaric and horrific actions", but that an extremist protest would "only give another opportunity for our community to be portrayed in a negative light".

Had we been aware that Al Ghurabaa was booking the hall, we would have refused this request as the values and ethos of Al Ghurabaa do not reflect those of Al Badr, a community-based organisation committed to help promote community harmony.

“ ” Al Badr spokesman (July 2006)

Choudary is reportedly a regular poster on "Followers of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'aah Muntada", an invitation-only internet forum visited by some of Britain's more notable Muslim extremists. Using the alleged pseudonym Abou Luqman, Choudary has voiced support for the Muslim community in Somalia, who, he claims, have been "violated" by Christian-backed Ethiopians, and has also called for other members to fight jihad.

Choudary strongly believes in the primacy of Islam over all other faiths, and the implementation of Sharia Law, in its entirety, in the UK. In 2001 he stated that his allegiance is to Islam, and not a country. He believes that, for a true Muslim, "a British passport is no more than a travel document." In October 2006 he addressed a Trinity College debate in Dublin, where as spokesman for al-Muhajiroun he spoke against the motion that "This house believes that Islamist violence can never be justified". Supporting him were Sulayman Keeler, from al-Ghurabaa, and Omar Brooks, leader of the Saviour Sect Group. Among those supporting the motion however, Islamic scholar Sheikh Al Saleh said that "Islam is the heritage of mankind", and Shaheed Satardian of the Supreme Muslim council of Ireland criticised "Muslim vigilantes" who had made attempts on his life, and fire-bombed his home in South Africa. Satardian said that his younger brother had been killed by extremists, and told Choudary "I believe violence perpetrated in the name of Islam is a terrible slur on the name of Islam." In February 2008 the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams commented that "as a matter of fact certain provisions of sharia are already recognised in our society and under our law". Choudary responded by saying that Sharia "has to be adopted wholesale", and that "it will come either by embracing Islam because it is the fastest growing religion in the country, or by an Islamic country conquering Britain or by elements embracing Islam and imposing it." In 2008 he spoke of the "flag of Sharia" flying over Downing Street by 2020, claimed that some Muslim families in east London were having "10 or 12 children each", and that hundreds were converting to Islam each day. Choudary has spoken against elements of the Christian faith. In December 2008 he posted a sermon on an Islamic website, in which he stated: "Every Muslim has a responsibility to protect his family from the misguidance of Christmas, because its observance will lead to hellfire. Protect your Paradise from being taken away – protect yourself and your family from Christmas".

In September 2006 Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech on the question of the "reasonableness" of the Christian faith, to the University of Regensburg in Germany. In the Regensburg lecture he spoke about rationality in faith, and cited comments by the 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, who, as the Pope put it, said "show me just what Mohamed brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." The citation attracted severe criticism from Muslims around the world, including the parliament of Pakistan which condemned the Pope for his comments, and which sought an apology from him. Following the speech, on 17 September Choudary led a protest outside Westminster Cathedral, where he told reporters "Whoever insults the message of Mohammed is going to be subject to capital punishment." The Daily Mail reported him as saying: "I am here have a peaceful demonstration, but there may be people in Italy and other parts that would carry that out." The Metropolitan Police investigated his comments, but concluded that "no substantive offences" were committed during the demonstration. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, who had called for action to be taken against Choudary, said: "It is quite disgraceful. It sends out a message to Muslim extremists that we, as a country, do not have the moral courage to stand up to them."

In July 2011, he claimed responsibility for a scheme to stick bright yellow posters on street posts to proclaim areas as "Shariah Controlled Zones." "We are going to go to all these same areas and implement our own Sharia-controlled zones," he is quoted as saying. "We want to run the area as a Sharia-controlled zone and really to put the seeds down for an Islamic Emirate in the long term."

He attempted to enter France to demonstrate against the French government's decision to ban the burka, but was stopped at the port of Calais. His passport was seized and he was issued documents banning him from France indefinitely.