Overview
Khaled Hussein is a Canadian national and member of al-Muhajiroun, a banned extremist network the British government accuses of fomenting support for ISIS. Hussein served as the personal assistant to al-Muhajiroun co-founder Anjem Choudary. On July 30, 2024, Hussein appeared at Woolwich Crown Court where he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for membership in a designated terror group.Dominici Casciani, “Anjem Choudary jailed for life,” BBC News, July 30, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3geqp8vx08o.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began monitoring Hussein, a gas station attendant from Edmonton, Canada, as a person of interest around October 2019 following an investigation on individuals at risk of recruiting, radicalizing, and facilitating violent extremism.“RCMP Federal Policing, Northwest Region, help secure Terrorism Act convictions against two men in the United Kingdom,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police, July 23, 2024, https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2024/rcmp-federal-policing-northwest-region-help-secure-terrorism-act-convictions. Other media reports claimed that Hussein began associating with and disseminating propaganda for al-Muhajiroun as early as August 2021.span class="footnote">Rebecca Camber and George Odling, “Why WAS jihad preacher freed from jail to spout hate? How Anjem Choudary’s new bid to recruit terrorists could see him locked up for LIFE,” Daily Mail (London), July 24, 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13665271/anjem-choudary-terrorists-freed-jail-investigation.html. Initially, Hussein helped launch social media campaigns headed by the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS) to call for the release of al-Muhajiroun co-founder Omar Bakri Muhammad from custody in Lebanon.Rebecca Camber and George Odling, “Why WAS jihad preacher freed from jail to spout hate? How Anjem Choudary’s new bid to recruit terrorists could see him locked up for LIFE,” Daily Mail (London), July 24, 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13665271/anjem-choudary-terrorists-freed-jail-investigation.html.
Between late 2021 and Spring 2022, counterterrorism authorities across Canada, New York, and London worked together to monitor Hussein and the ITS. On September 10, 2021, Hussein revealed to an undercover Canadian officer that ITS was in fact the North American chapter of al-Muhajiroun. Two months later, on November 17, Hussein confirmed that he was working for “Sheikh Anjem” to an undercover officer at the New York Police Department (NYPD).Rebecca Camber and George Odling, “Why WAS jihad preacher freed from jail to spout hate? How Anjem Choudary’s new bid to recruit terrorists could see him locked up for LIFE,” Daily Mail (London), July 24, 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13665271/anjem-choudary-terrorists-freed-jail-investigation.html. By May 2022, Canadian police involved the U.K. Counter Terrorism Command in their investigation into Hussein.“‘Historic’ Met and international police counter terrorism investigation leads to Anjem Choudary terror conviction,” Metropolitan Police, July 23, 2024, https://news.met.police.uk/news/historic-met-and-international-police-counter-terrorism-investigation-leads-to-anjem-choudary-terror-conviction-486428.
According to police reports, Hussein served as Choudary’s personal assistant. While in that role, Hussein helped the extremist preacher host online ITS lectures with other unidentified extremists, and edited online blogs and publications authored by Choudary.“’Historic’ Met and international police counter terrorism investigation leads to Anjem Choudary terror conviction,” Metropolitan Police, July 23, 2024, https://news.met.police.uk/news/historic-met-and-international-police-counter-terrorism-investigation-leads-to-anjem-choudary-terror-conviction-486428. It was not until a year later, on June 30, 2023, that Hussein revealed to a Canadian undercover officer that he intended to visit Choudary in London.Rebecca Camber and George Odling, “Why WAS jihad preacher freed from jail to spout hate? How Anjem Choudary’s new bid to recruit terrorists could see him locked up for LIFE,” Daily Mail (London), July 24, 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13665271/anjem-choudary-terrorists-freed-jail-investigation.html. On July 17, 2023, counterterrorism authorities at London’s Heathrow Airport arrested Hussein upon his arrival from Canada. Choudary was also arrested at his home in London. Both were charged with membership in a banned terror organization. Robert Mendick, “Hate preacher Anjem Choudary arrested on suspicion of terror offence,” Telegraph (London), July 17, 2023, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/17/hate-preacher-anjem-choudary-arrested-for-terror-offence/?s=09; “Men arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences,” Metropolitan Police, July 17, 2023, https://news.met.police.uk/news/men-arrested-on-suspicion-of-terrorism-offences-469915.
On August 4, 2023, Choudary and Hussein appeared via video link for a preliminary hearing at London’s Central Criminal Court, also known as Old Bailey. Hussein and Choudary spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth. The court ordered Hussein and Choudary to both remain in custody until the trial. Emily Pennink, “May trial set for Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary,” Independent (London), August 4, 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/anjem-choudary-islamist-london-ilford-heathrow-b2387773.html.
Hussein is held at HMP Wormwood Scrubs in west London. On March 25, 2024, Hussein and Choudary appeared via video link at the Old Bailey. Matt Drake, “slamist preacher Anjem Choudary, 57, denies encouraging support for banned militant network Al-Muhajiroun as he appears at the Old Bailey,” Daily Mail (London), March 25, 2024, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13236627/anjem-choudary-court-alm-khaled-hussain.html. Both men pleaded not guilty to membership in a banned organization.“Radical British preacher Anjem Choudary pleads not guilty to terrorism charges,” Associated Press, March 25, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/britain-radical-preacher-anjem-choudary-london-court-d8e78b054aafc2681358389519374300. Hussein and Choudary’s trial began at London’s Woolwich Crown Court on June 13, 2024.Duncan Gardham, “Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary compares himself to Kevin Keegan at terror trial,” Sky News, July 1, 2024, https://news.sky.com/story/islamist-preacher-anjem-choudary-compares-himself-to-kevin-keegan-at-terror-trial-13162037.
On July 30, 2024, Hussein was convicted of being a member of al-Muhajiroun. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with an additional year of supervision after his release. Dominici Casciani, “Anjem Choudary jailed for life,” BBC News, July 30, 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3geqp8vx08o.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Al-Muhajiroun
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Position(s):
- Position(s): Propagandist, personal assistant
Associates
Anjem Choudary
Propagandist, Islamist preacher, cleric
Founding member, propagandist, Islamist preacher, cleric
History
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers.