Switzerland blacklists British radical preacher Anjem Choudary

Choudary has been added to a list of over 500 radical Muslims who cannot enter Switzerland. Keystone

The 51-year old Islamist, Anjem Choudary, who was sentenced to over five years in prison in 2016 for preaching support of Islamic State, has been barred from entering Switzerland. 

On October 15, Switzerland added Choudary to its black list of persons and entities linked to Osama bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda group or the Taliban. This means he will not be able to enter or transit through Switzerland. Financial sanctions can also be imposed against him if he tries to raise or move money for radicalisation purposes. Over 500 radical Muslims figure in the black list compiled by State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). 

Choudary was released from a British prison on Friday morning after serving half of his five-year and a half prison sentence for soliciting support for the jihadist group Islamic State. The London-born preacher of Pakistani descent is one of the leading figures of the radical Islamist movement that began in London in the early 2000s. He was one of the founders of the Islamist organisation Al-Muhajiroun that was banned by the British government. 

Choudary, who was based in Ilford in East London, will have to comply with restrictive conditions regarding his movements and the people he can interact with. A breach could result in him being sent back to prison.