http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/07/world/europe/anjem-choudary-sentenced-isis.html 2016-09-07 00:47:41 Anjem Choudary Is Sentenced to Prison for Promoting ISIS Mr. Choudary, one of Britain’s best known Islamist activists, and an associate, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, were both sentenced on Tuesday to five and a half years in prison. === LONDON — Anjem Choudary, one of Mr. Choudary, 49, had been found guilty of promoting the Islamic State, also known as Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 33, an associate of Mr. Choudary’s, received the same sentence. Along with Mr. Choudary, Mr. Rahman was Mr. Choudary’s supporters shouted the Arabic phrase “Allahu akbar,” or “God is great,” as he was sent to jail in London. Long regarded as one of the country’s most prominent radical preachers, Mr. Choudary had praised those who attacked the United States on Mr. Choudary was arrested two years ago after his name appeared on an oath that circulated online declaring the legitimacy of the “proclaimed Islamic Caliphate State.” Mr. Choudary denied encouraging his followers to support the Islamic State and said his name had appeared on the online oath without his knowledge. But evidence was presented during the trial that Mr. Choudary had posted speeches online that provided his rationale for recognizing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the leader of the Islamic State. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the police said that, in the course of their investigation, they had considered material spanning two decades and had assessed evidence from more than 333 electronic devices. “These men have stayed just within the law for many years, and there has been frustration for both law enforcement agencies and communities as they spread hate,” said Cmdr. Dean Haydon, who leads the Metropolitan Police Service’s Counter Terrorism Command, in the statement. “We have watched Choudary developing a media career as spokesman for the extremists, saying the most distasteful of comments, but without crossing the criminal threshold.” “Their recent speeches and the oath of allegiance,” he added, “were a turning point for the police — at last, we had the evidence that they had stepped over the line and we could prove they were actively encouraging support of