Radical preacher faces jail for encouraging Islamic State support

British-born radical preacher Anjem Choudary, who has spent the past 20 years spreading extremist views, is facing jail for drumming up support for Islamic State (IS).

The 49-year-old Muslim encouraged backing for the terrorist group in a series of talks posted on YouTube, and recognised a caliphate, a symbolic Islamic state, had been created under an IS leader after it was announced on June 29 2014, the Old Bailey in London heard.

Despite being a leader figure in the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun, and a series of former supporters going on to be convicted of terrorism, Choudary stayed on the right side of the law for two decades before investigators were able to pin him down.