Choudary in court charged with 'inviting support for Islamic State'

Anjem Choudary, the radical Muslim preacher, has appeared at Westminster magistrates court charged with encouraging support for the militant Islamist group Islamic State.

During his hearing Choudary, who was charged alongside another man, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, gave a 20-minute speech protesting his innocence.

Rohit Kachroo, ITV News' UK editor, reports:

Anjem Choudary, the radical Islamic preacher, has been remanded in custody at Westminster magistrates court.

He appeared in court alongside another man, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, who were both charged with inviting support for Islamic State.

Choudary gave a 20-minute speech from the dock protesting his innocence during the hearing, and both defendants refused to stand when Chief magistrate Howard Riddle left the court.

Rahman was also remanded in custody and the two men are set to appear at the Old Bailey on August 28.

Radical cleric Anjem Choudary has been charged with inviting support for Islamic State, a proscribed terrorist organisation, Scotland Yard said.

The 48-year-old, from Ilford, northeast London, was charged along with 32-year-old Mohammed Rahman, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Both men have been on bail since September, when they were arrested by the Met's Counter-Terrorism unit on suspicion of being members of the "proscribed organisation".

The Crown Prosecution Service said: "It is alleged that Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman invited support for ISIS in individual lectures which were subsequently published online."

They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon.