
Home Secretary Alan Johnson will use his powers to smash warped organisations run by hate-preacher Anjem Choudary.
He is expected to impose anti-terror laws as early as tomorrow to ban al-Muhajiroun and its latest offshoot Islam4UK.
The move will make it a criminal offence - punishable by up to TEN YEARS in jail - to become a member or to attend or address any meetings.
It also allows the authorities to tear down websites used by the groups to spread hate, promote violence and recruit new members. The action will also make it a criminal offence to raise funds.
Twisted Choudary, 42, has sparked outrage by threatening to march his followers through the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett, where crowds gather regularly to honour Britain's fallen squaddies as their coffins are returned home from Afghanistan in hearses.
He has called on his henchmen to carry up to 500 coffins in a sick plan to symbolise thousands of Muslims killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But his attempt to mobilise fanatics will be seriously hampered when Mr Johnson bans the two groups under the 2000 Terrorism Act.
Home Office lawyers have been secretly scouring the rule books to find ways of making the two groups illegal.
An Whitehall insider said last night: "The decision to proscribe the groups was made a few months ago - well before the march was even announced.
"We have been monitoring the output from the websites and comments made by senior members and have come to the conclusion that they are clearly acting outside the Act.
"A file is being prepared for the Home Secretary and all that remains now is for him to act." The action will be applauded by forces families and moderate Muslims demanding that extremists are denied the oxygen of publicity.
Al-Muhajiroun leaders have enraged Brits and Americans with their outrageous outpourings. They described the 9/11 bombers as "magnificent" and claim the flag of Islam would one day fly above 10 Downing Street.
Five young Muslims convicted in 2007 of the fertiliser bombing plot which could have killed hundreds of Brits all had links with al-Muhajiroun.
And a man who bombed a cafe in Tel Aviv, Israel, killing three people in 2004 had also attended some of its circles.
The group was disbanded in 2004 by its reviled founder Omar Bakri Mohammad before he fled Britain to live in exile in Lebanon. But activists regrouped under its original name in the summer under Bakri disciple Choudary.
He has hailed the 9/11 bombers as martyrs, wants Sharia law imposed in the UK and gleefully admits: "I am the most hated man in Britain."
Islam4UK was set up as a "platform" for promoting the views of its extremist parent organisation, al-Muhajiroun. Crazed Choudary has demanded an Islamic revolution in Britain and wants Business Secretary Lord Mandelson stoned to death for being gay.
He has followed up his plans for a Wootton Bassett demo by organising a sick letter-writing campaign to families of fallen British heroes.
Lawyer Choudary and his supporters say they will write to the families of British troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan urging them to renounce their religions and convert to Islam. The letters urge them to embrace Islam to save themselves "from the hellfire".
About 20 of his supporters have already staged a protest during a welcome home parade for soldiers in Luton.
Parents have also complained that members were promoting extremism at a primary school.
Wiltshire politicians have urged him to abandon his latest protest, and a Facebook site dedicated to preventing the march has attracted more than 120,000 members.
Gordon Brown has branded the planned march "abhorrent and offensive" - and Mr Johnson said he would have no hesitation in banning it.
HATE preacher Anjem Choudary has made a career out of insulting British troops and their families.
He has branded heroes returning from Afghanistan "brutal murderers" and "cowards".

Jobless Choudary, 42, lives in a £350,000 house in Leytonstone, east London, and claims State handouts of £25,740 a year - but spends most of his time spouting hatred.
He once claimed Muslims in Britain were "oppressed" and had the right to defend themselves "by whatever means".
He has tried to brainwash his followers by claiming it is an "obligation" upon Muslims everywhere to join a holy war against those who fight those who occupy Muslim land.
Last March, he posted a message on an extremist Islamic website calling a homecoming parade of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, a "vile parade" of "brutal murderers".
The servicemen - who had lost 12 comrades in tours of Iraq and Afghanistan - were later confronted with placards branding them killers, rapists and terrorists as they marched through Luton, Beds.
Choudary has also urged Muslims to refuse to co-operate with police in tackling terrorism and called for the assassination of the Pope.
The British-born son of a Pakistani immigrant market trader, he was raised in a semi at Welling, Kent. After his A-levels, he began a medical degree but switched to law after failing his first-year exams.
He qualified as a solicitor and was chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers - but was removed from the Roll of Solicitors in 2002.
Choudary later embraced radical Islamism and co-founded al-Muhajiroun with the Islamist militant leader Omar Bakri Mohammad.
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This article has 46 comments
As for their argument in the middle east, wasn`t there a war which they lost? Imagine what would have happened to Israel if they`d have won instead? After the war, in which at least three arab countries tried to crush Israel and still LOST, they, like bad losers`, go on about the land? Please forgive me but who`s land are they on now? What I can see it`s the whole world isn`t it? As for those hippy do_ gooders who love everyone except the western world, I think they just have a big chip on their shoulders against authority in general, perhaps a spell living with the taliban would show them how nice we really are. We used to be proud of our country but we`ve been sold out without even knowing. Whoever`s right about it all, it will get worse before it gets better.
By Paul.. Posted January 12 2010 at 2:17 AM.
Wake up, guys...there's an election coming. If there were no election coming, Communist Labour would not be even looking at this situation. How is it that they are only now getting around to examining this issue? Think about it and then...just, ignore it.
By Ian McKlatchie.. Posted January 11 2010 at 4:01 PM.
I will not be paying my ucas bill when these islamic beasts are getting £25,000 odd a year on benefits. Honestly ' our ' government are a complete JOKE! We complain about all the illegal immagrants in this country, but the uk government are so soft that they let them live here for little or free. This must come to a stop, get that Hate Cleric back to Pakistan or wherever. Get them all out!
Stand up for this Country we call home Mr Brown! Political correctnes.. oot the window!
By GB.. Posted January 11 2010 at 1:16 AM.
2 points. 1. Where would he be deported to? Apparently he was born in this country. To bring in a new law to allow him to be deported to the land of his parents birth - sounds a bit like BNP to me.
2. We already have sufficient laws to cover this type of action. One businessman, was arrested in front of his family (& nieghbours), had his computers siezed (what did the nieghbours think when they saw that?) and spent 4 hours in the cells because of the word 'likey' appearing in an email to his council. Somebody at the council thought that SOUNDS like 'pikey' and called the police. They then all agreed that somebody else sent the 'offending' email.
Do we need even more laws when the 'Thought Police' are already here? Incidently, the innocent man has been told that the police will keep his DNA indefinately. Sieg Heil. Sorry, got to go, I can hear somebody kicking my front door in......
By Rod Bridger.. Posted January 10 2010 at 10:21 PM.
This guy is idiot and does not represent islam in fact he is a disgrace to Islam..
By hussain.. Posted January 10 2010 at 8:47 PM.
I Belive that millions of muslims are beiing masacred for no reason there women and chilldren have done nothing to deserve this and yet to this day it is still happening and noone thinks about it twice.Obviously this is going to build hatred in the muslim community! we need to get our troops out and build a resoultion with the muslim leaders.Otherwise no matter how many laws u create to stop this th killing ang the hatred will carry on bulding!! so please look at it from all prespectives!
By john walker.. Posted January 10 2010 at 5:02 PM.
its amazeing how much media spot light this warped man and his followers of 500 idiots have recieved, i grew up in a multi cultural society i've got friends from a wide arrange of back grounds, most of the muslims i know dispise this guy there decent law abideing citizens they pay there taxes what angers them is that they see them selves in the majority in this country yet the media dont want to know them and neither are they interested in them, the wedge the media is driveing is massive its acceptable to hate despize and attack muslims now because the media says so, only the other week some muslim kids comeing out of college were attacked whilst they were being attacked the attackers were shouting anti-muslim sentiment, in tooting a man got killed comeing out of a mosque with his 3 year old grand child with him was that in a any of a our major news tabloids no it was'nt... when these so called moderate muslims try to fend of some of the accusations and lies printed against them its oh look there playing the victim card now, i challange any one to say or question what israel is doing to them palastinians in the middle east and the media cover ups i guarantee you, you will be labeled and branded a anti-semite the media will ridicule you every day women and childrens homes are being bulldozed driven out of there homes every day two or three plastinians are being killed but yet when a israeli is killed its breaking news.
By steve.. Posted January 10 2010 at 5:13 PM.
this i s a very complex situation.the rights of the deceased soldiers families should be considered.Islam is a religion of piece for mankind. the soldiers that torture innocent civilians abroad and commit barbaric acts to them also need to be considered.keeping guantanomo bay torture camp open and calling that justice is a very big injustice.people need to have a conscience.our politicians need to own up.white collar corruption is corruption none the less.raiding countries for oil is unexceptable.there is alot of unneccessary tention in the world caused by one group of people and innocent people are paying the price.how do them people sleep at night i ask myself.
By harry brown.. Posted January 10 2010 at 4:39 PM.
12 years too late must be an election coming this goverment opened the borders to many of these people and keep them in luxury so why the fuss now
By clario.. Posted January 10 2010 at 4:15 PM.
Choudary:-
Embracing the British benefit system;
Well educated but not working- why?;
Preaching hate;
Planning to incite confrontation at Wootton Bassett;
Offensive to those who serve and protect Great Britain; etc...etc....
Will somebody tell me what bit of Britain this man and others like him embrace, apart from our taxes?
This is a massive issue PM Brown- wake up and put the measures in place to smash the beaurocracy and loopholes these extremists use to laugh in our faces. I'm sure lots of hard working, proud and patriotic British citizen's are entitled to that, if not the benefits like those Choudary claims.
By Mr B; Burnley.. Posted January 10 2010 at 3:25 PM.
I think this small band of idiots are getting too much publicity. It is inconceaveable that his tiny group could made and carry 500 coffins through the town. He hasn't even got 500 supporters.
By Zahid Jawed.. Posted January 10 2010 at 3:09 PM.
This is one of the reasons i left the UK to go and live in The USA, they would not stand this insult and there proud and allowed to fly there flag.
By Mick Ward.. Posted January 10 2010 at 2:44 PM.
Whilst i applaud this new law, if a little late in the imposing, i do think that a jail sentence in our judicial system is a little soft soap. They will get three meals a day and a roof over their head, with pocket money and a cash sum when they are released early due to over crowding. The prison term will also allow them a platform to spread their hate to a captive audience. I say, deport them, send them back to where they came from, let them protest there and see how far they get. If convicted, they should not be allowed residence. Choudrey is allegedly claiming all these benefits when there are single mothers out there getting no where near what he is claiming and are being forced to work as soon as the baby is old enough to go into nursery to pay the bills. Choudray takes home more than an average soldier.....how is that right? Let him put his life on the line for what our heroes get paid.
By Kate Perry.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:51 PM.
Why cant this hate spouting madman and his zombies be arrested for inciting racial hatred or incitement to commit murder. I am not a lawyer or anything like that, but it seems crystal clear to me this is whats happening, I always thought this was illegal in our country. Thet are keen to impose the outdated laws of Islam on us, so why dont we impose the full weight of our laws on them.
By Loz Caswell.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:17 PM.
Get these idiots out of our country and stop paying them benefits. DEPORT THEM.
By Fiona.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:11 PM.
Its about time everyone in Britain started to wake up and this hopefully might have done the trick, but we should keep this ball rolling and demonstrate peacefully, vigilantly, forcefully, with respect and drive Sharia Law into the sea where it belongs for Sharia Law is vile, hateful and hate-filled, racist, fascist, full of idiotic suppression and scared to death of women, so come on good girls of these green Isles, join us at the front and finish off Islamic extremism and Sharia Law...
By Mercian warroir.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:34 PM.
I am pleased to see that the government are prepared to do something against such people in the UK, although I doubt that it will make much difference.
I am also bothered to see that once again there are the same old cries for people to ban the BNP. Some of their ideas and beliefs may be over the top and the ideas of some of their followers even more so but stop and think clearly for a minute, surely nobody can compare the BNP to groups such as al-Muhajiroun.
By Paul-Mc.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:26 PM.
Can you imagine a group like Islamuk proposing something like this in New York at the site of 9/11! Or in fact the group existing and having their leader living at the US taxpayers expense! So why is our government so tolerant? These people are tarnishing the reputation of the Muslim population, these radicals are nothing more than cockroaches, that are looking to wreak carnage on our society , they need to be stamped out NOW!
By Jim .. Posted January 10 2010 at 11:44 AM.
A little too late!
Some Muslims have begging successive Home Secs since 1997 to enforce such laws.
By Hassan Wright.. Posted January 10 2010 at 11:42 AM.
State Benefits of nearly £26,000 a £350,000 house.
What benefits and support do our troops get on leaving the services. Its about time that this group is banned.
By Chris.. Posted January 10 2010 at 9:43 AM.
how ironic... Anjem Choudary claims benfits that the armed forces help pay thru tax.
So shouldn't he stop claiming benints with a percentage that comes from out troops?
By Simon.. Posted January 10 2010 at 9:30 AM.
i think its about time this country started to act promptly on these kind of acts ,they should be deported or improsened for treason to the queen as our armed forces fight for queen and country and i bet it eats away at our soldiers listening to whats going on back home as if they dont have enough on there plate thats why were now a laughing stock of the world and no longer an empire .
By leesayers.. Posted January 10 2010 at 9:26 AM.
These people must be banned from their march
-no two ways about it - but I am fearful about what exactly new laws will come into force because of this. Two or three years down the line will this blow up in our faces and it will be us the law abiding citizens who will be forbidden from speaking out. It is bad enough now, we have limited freedom of speech and there are many things we can and cannot do. I am firmly in favour of a new law - If you don't like our laws and the way the British people live then please go to the country with the laws you approve of.
By mags.. Posted January 10 2010 at 9:07 AM.
if alan johnson has anything to do with the banning,god help us,as it will fail.over the last 12 years every single home office minister ,has been usless and not fit for purpose.johnson should go back to delivering mail.
By philsidey.. Posted January 10 2010 at 8:55 AM.
Wel said Paula Murphy from the northeast you hit the nail on the head
By Stew Cunningham.. Posted January 10 2010 at 8:09 AM.
Interesting that two of the most hated men in Britain, Nick Griffin and Choudry also hate each other more than anyone else, bizzare! They are both as bad as each other and are a disgrace to their respective races and creeds. These are not good times in Britain, soemone needs to sort it out.
By Hilton77.. Posted January 10 2010 at 7:54 AM.
The only reason the government is doing anything now is because they have seen the real British people stand up and say NO, but at least they listened, shame it took 1000000 people on Facebook to make them realise something that is blooody obvious.
If the hate march was alowed I honestly believe it could have sparked the worst race riots we have ever seen.
By Matt Pearce .. Posted January 10 2010 at 7:42 AM.
SEE THE WEBSITE IS DOWN ALREADY.
BRILLIANT
By TRICKEYM.. Posted January 10 2010 at 7:33 AM.
At last some common sense. It should have been quicker but!
I am a proud English man, an ex squaddie. I hold my country dear to me. Its values, its beliefs and its customs. It is those values, beleifs and customs that made me and through which a became a man.
Through out my time I have also had the privalage to meet others, with different beliefs, customs and values, that has given me compassion, understanding and the ability to think outside my box, that is what made me a humanbeing.
Any form of extreamism prevents man from becoming human.
By Mark Dunbar.. Posted January 10 2010 at 7:10 AM.
Why was this not done sooner . Would have saved us a LOT of money - especially if they were all deported and were not allowed to calim any benefits.
By Laura.. Posted January 10 2010 at 5:43 AM.
Why does it take the government so long to do anything about these people? They were quick enough to give tax payers money to banks.
By John.. Posted January 10 2010 at 5:59 AM.
i am thinking about the next election who to vote in if the goverment vote anti terror laws in like this they might stand a chance looking after our soldiers and the british people isnt that right mr dave anderson angel of the north
By paula murphy.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:42 AM.
well I THINK ITS ABOUT TIME THE HOME SECURETERYS USED TERE POWER THANK GOD
By gino warren.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:33 AM.
Cut off his benefits and kick him out of the country.
By P Smith.. Posted January 10 2010 at 1:00 AM.
The only reason the government are now acting is because of the Facebook site NO TO THE PLANNED ISLAM4UK MARCH THROUGH WOOTTON BASSETT, which was created by Jo Cleary and has over 720,000 members
By Steve Heather.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:46 AM.
There are in fact now over a million people on facebook saying 'no' to the intended march.This group of extremists are inciting hatred and of course insulting the memory of our troops.
As soon as fanatics start these groups attacking Britain they should be deported to their proper roots.
It makes me sick to here these people referred to as Britons.They hate us and everything that is British and give a bad name to Muslims that live peacefully beside us.
By Val.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:44 AM.
Why just ban them? Why not deport them?
By Vincent Packham.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:44 AM.
Choudary while saying our forces are murdering innocent people what about the muslim suicide bombers? killing hundreds of innocent people in markets they are not exactly killing just our soldiers are they So go and march in your home town and stop innocents being killed not by our soldiers but by your supporters .Our soldiers dont wear hidden explosives and kill innocents yours do.
And by the way thank god we have values in our country our doctors have saved the lives of your people who's injuries was caused by you lot
By kevin reeve.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:53 AM.
This guy and others like him are an absolute disgrace, I am a British Asian if they really want to have islamic law send them packing to any islamic country
By Deepak Walia.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:22 AM.
Glad to see this but Home Secretary Alan Johnson also needs to ban the BNP as its just as bad as Anjem Choudary, al-Muhajiroun and Islam4UK.
Every one knows the BNP are fascists who want an all "white" UK and every one knows they would repatriate British citizens of colour if the BNP got in power.
But it looks like the Home Secretary Alan Johnson is to gutless and to scared to do ban the BNP.
Last year the News of the World and the other newspapers showed some of the BNPs vile things, this shows the BNP need to be banned and out lawed as well as there is no place in our society and our country for the BNP or Islam4uk.
By harry-5.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:20 AM.
string up all extremists like these, we should not expect any disrespect to be shown towards our soldiers its unfair and they do not deserve this treatment, i am wanting to join the armed forces in years to come and if any actions are taken from their side i will be protesting against it
By Joshua.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:07 AM.
Are you aware that the Face Book page set up by Jo Cleary to ban the march has over 700,000 members !!!!! This has happened over the space of one week.
NO TO THE PLANNED ISLAM4UK MARCH THROUGH WOOTTON BASSETT
Thank you.
By Mary Bird Hildreth.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:07 AM.
about time the government listened to its people
By mags hamer.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:05 AM.
good on you home secretary alan johnson impose the anti terror laws on them lock them all up for ever they are a danger to the public and the goverment have a juty to protect the public they are complete nutters if you live in our country you live by our rules.and as for making remarks about lord mandelson private life about being gay and telling choudary followers that they should stone gay people to death he should get life for that .if people are happy being gay what the hell has it got to do with any body else. if they are concenting adults i have got gay friends and if any body heart or called them i would be the first to defend them. and leave our armed forces alone they have a hard job to do without these nutters shouting at them if there not happy go and live in a muslim country. most muslims i know are peaceful people and hard working and very nice people paula murphy northeast
By paula murphy.. Posted January 9 2010 at 11:48 PM.
While he's at it, I was wondering whether the Home Secretary might please proscribe the organisation 'Telephone For You', for their egregious abuse of the number four and twenty-first letter of the alphabet alike. Also I don't much like John Caudwell.
By Jonathan.. Posted January 9 2010 at 11:34 PM.
its high time they acted, you cant bite the hand that feeds you
By getreal.. Posted January 9 2010 at 11:16 PM.