Pakistani-origin preacher gets bail in UK

A high-profile Pakistani-origin radical Islamist preacher charged with supporting the banned group Islamic State (IS) has been granted bail in the UK while he awaits trial on terror charges.
London-based Anjem Choudary is accused of inviting support for the banned group on social media from June 2014 to March 2015.
The 48-year-old was being held on remand in prison and appeared before Old Bailey court in London via videolink from the high security Belmarsh prison.
Co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman was also bailed during the same hearing.
Both men face trial next year and have indicated they would be pleading not guilty.

Justice Saunders said he had not found the decision easy.

"I am not persuaded in either case that there are substantial grounds for believing that either defendant will fail to surrender to custody," he said.
"I have been much more concerned to whether there are substantial grounds for believing that they will commit further offences. I am concerned about anything being disseminated publicly by either of them or on their behalf which would encourage others to go to live in Syria as part of their religious duty."
He said both men should be carefully monitored and returned to court if bail conditions are breached.

"I do consider that the conditions of bail proposed will substantially reduce the risk of dissemination of those views," he added.
A plea hearing will take place before the trial begins on January 11, 2015.