Ex-Soldier Jailed for Sending High-Tech Gear to Taliban
Muhammad Choudhary, 42, from Ilford, has been locked up for seven years after admitting he sent night vision and thermal rifle scopes to the Taliban in 2017 and 2018. The former British soldier knew the gear was destined for Taliban fighters attacking Afghan coalition forces and government troops.
Illegal Scopes Seized at Heathrow Trigger Terror Probe
Choudhary’s scheme was busted when HM Revenue & Customs intercepted the illegal sniper scopes at Heathrow Airport in 2018. Further probing revealed he bought the high-end hunting equipment legally in the UK before smuggling it overseas.
Radiographer Stripped of Licence After Terror Conviction
The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) confirmed Choudhary will be struck off the professional register. Writing from prison, he admitted his conviction clashes with his healthcare role and accepted that removal was “unlikely to be in the public interest.”
“The criminal conviction found proved in respect of the registrant was fundamentally incompatible with registration as a health professional… the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was a striking off order.” – HCPTS
Met Police Warn: Terror Backers Will Be Tracked Down
Gareth Rees from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command stressed the case shows terror crimes come in many shapes and forms.
“We will investigate anyone in the UK who supports terrorist activity, regardless of what it may be in support of or to where it may be linked.”
He praised government agencies for spotting suspicious activity early, leading to Choudhary’s arrest and conviction.
