Radical leader held on suspicion of encouraging terror

ANTI-TERRORISM police yesterday arrested one of Britain’s most controversial Muslim figures, Abu Izzadeen, who was watched by millions on television last year heckling Home Secretary John Reid at a public meeting.

Mr Izzadeen, 31, from east London, was held by officers from the Counter Terrorism Command on suspicion of encouraging terrorism “as a result of an ongoing inquiry”.

Mr Izzadeen, who was born Trevor Brooks in Jamaica, was a leading figure in the banned radical Islamic group Al-Ghurabaa and shot to prominence when he heckled Mr Reid during a speech to Muslim leaders last September. The tall imposing figure, dressed in white robes, shouted that Mr Reid was “an enemy of Islam” as the minister tried to deliver a speech calling for Muslims to do more to root out extremism.

The address was aimed at countering a growing radicalisation among British Muslims following the suicide bomb attacks in London by four British Islamics on July 7, 2005.

A police source said the suspected offences committed by Mr Izzadeen related to activities in the West Midlands area of Britain last year and not to the Reid speech.

Mr Izzadeen has previously praised the London bombers while Al-Ghurabaa has called the September 11 attackers “magnificent”.

Anjem Choudary, another senior figure in Al-Ghurabaa, said the arrest was connected to a speech Mr Izzadeen gave in Birmingham on the anniversary of the 2001 twin towers attack on the United States.

He said the arrest was “a continuation of the witch hunt” by Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government and was a demonstration of why Muslims felt under siege.

However, Patrick Mercer, homeland security spokesman for the Conservative Party, said that Mr Izzadeen was a dangerous figure who should be “put behind bars”.