Islamic radical due in London court today on charge of encouraging terrorism

A British Muslim convert widely known for extremist outbursts faces a court appearance Friday on a charge of encouraging terrorism, police said.

Photo: Islamic radical due in London court today on charge of encouraging terrorism

London's Metropolitan Police gave no details about what prompted Thursday's arrest of Abu Izzadeen, 31.

A British citizen, he has described himself as the spokesman for the al-Ghurabaa group, which was outlawed by the British government in July.

In September, he disrupted a meeting between Home Secretary John Reid and Muslim leaders in London, which Reid had called to ask Muslim parents to look out for signs in their children of brainwashing by extremists, reports AP.

Describing Reid as an "enemy of Islam and Muslims" and "tyrant," Izzadeen shouted: "Shame on all of us for sitting down and listening to him."

Several members of the al-Ghurabaa group were arrested on suspicion of inciting violence on Feb. 2 during a heated protest against the depiction of prophet Muhammad in cartoons published in European newspapers.

British media have reported that Izzadeen grew up in a Christian family, but converted to Islam when he was 17. He has been quoted as saying that Britain's failure to accept a "cease-fire" from Osama bin Laden led to the July 7, 2005, attacks, in which four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters on London's transit system.