LONDON: Radical cleric Anjem Choudary, long a thorn in the side of British authorities, was jailed Tuesday for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of encouraging support for Islamic State (IS) jihadists.

Supporters of the 49-year-old and his co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman—who received the same sentence—shouted 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest) from the public gallery as the judge announced his decision, according to an AFP journalist.