Muhammad Choudhary, from east London, was identified after rifle scopes were intercepted at Heathrow Airport
Muhammad Choudhary pleaded guilty to terrorism funding and fundraising offences(Image: Met Police )
A former British soldier and NHS radiographer was struck off the healthcare register after being convicted for terror offences last year, including sending rifle parts to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Muhammad Choudhary, 41, from Ilford in east London, Choudhary first came to the attention of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after the rifle scopes were seized at Heathrow Airport in 2018.
He was sentenced to seven years in prison under the Terrorism Act 2000 in October 2024. Choudhary pleaded guilty to offences including funding and sending equipment to support terrorism, particularly aiding the Taliban in Afghanistan between May 2017 and May 2019.
A committee of the health and care professions tribunal service (HCPTS) struck off Choudhary’s license after concluding his fitness to practise to be “impaired by reason of conviction.” He accepted the error of his ways, regretted what he had done and understood that whatever wrongs might have been carried out by others his conduct was not justified, the tribunal heard.
But the panel concluded: “The criminal conviction found proved was fundamentally incompatible with registration as a health professional on the HCPC Register and that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was a Striking Off Order.”
A striking-off order is the most serious sanction that can be imposed by HCPTS, removing a healthcare professional from the register, preventing them to practise for at least five years.
In 2018, he was interviewed by HMRC investigators, after six rifle parts including thermal imaging and night vision scopes were seized at Heathrow Airport and were intended for an address in Pakistan.
Choudhary later admitted to trying to deliver them to members of the Taliban, fighting against coalition forces in Afghanistan at the time.
In total, he purchased 12 thermal imaging rifle scopes worth around £31,000 from a UK supplier and tried to disguise them as cameras, eight of which were successfully exported and four were seized.
He accepted that the scopes were destined for Taliban fighters but claimed his motive was to “balance power” and stop the war, the committee heard.
He also supported the Taliban financially, sending approximately £140 worth of donations claimed to be for “Mujahideen” and “orphans,” according to the sentencing remarks of HHJ Lucraft KC at the Old Bailey.
He was in contact with the Taliban via WhatsApp, expressing ideological support and believing he was contributing to a “righteous” struggle.
Also a video showing Jihadi training propaganda from a proscribed group, the Haqqani network, glorifying western casualties was found on his phone. Choudhary is currently serving a total of seven years of imprisonment, will spend an additional year on extended license, and will be subject of a Terrorism Notification for 15 years.
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