UK radical preacher charged with inviting Daesh support

British radical preacher Anjem Choudary protested his innocence in court Wednesday when he appeared on charges of inviting support for the Daesh jihadist group.

The 48-year-old, who is regularly interviewed by British media for his views on Islam and the Middle East, gave a 20-minute speech outlining his indication to plead not guilty.

He and a second man, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 32, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in London charged with one offence contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

They were charged with inviting support for the Daesh group, a banned organisation, between June 29, 2014 and March 6, 2015.

It is alleged that they invited support for Daesh in individual lectures which were subsequently published online.

Choudary, a former lawyer who was representing himself in court, waved his case notes around during his speech in the dock.

He and Rahman both refused to stand as the chief magistrate Howard Riddle left the court.

Both men were arrested on September 25 last year.

They were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey in London, England's Central Criminal Court, on August 28.
Source: AFP