Muhammad Choudhary, 42, from Ilford, has been slammed with a seven-year prison sentence for sending night vision and thermal imaging rifle scopes to the Taliban in 2017 and 2018. The former British soldier admitted the scopes were destined for Taliban fighters attacking Afghan coalition forces and the government.

Scopes Seized at Heathrow Sparked Terror Probe

HM Revenue & Customs first flagged Choudhary after intercepting the illegal equipment at Heathrow Airport in 2018. Further investigations revealed he’d purchased the sniper sights from legitimate UK hunting suppliers before sending them overseas.

Struck Off as Radiographer After Terror Conviction

The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) has now confirmed Choudhary will be struck off the professional register. Writing from prison, he accepted removal was “unlikely to be in the public interest,” admitting his conviction clashed with his role as a healthcare professional.

“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 Supporters Will Be Tracked Down

Gareth Rees of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said the case underlines how terror crimes take many forms. Rees added:

“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, which helped lead to Choudhary’s arrest and conviction.