THE leader of a radical Islamic group who visited Walthamstow last week has described the latest terrorism arrests as a deliberate plot designed to scare people.

Anjem Choudary, 39, from Ilford, was seen speaking outside the Queen's Road Mosque the day after the arrests took place.

He is reported in the national press as saying: "I think this is another case of whipping the public into a frenzy over terrorism with very flimsy evidence."

Mr Choudary blamed the anti-western mood of some Muslims on Britain's foreign policy in the Middle East, and accused the government of using harsh new legislation to arrest Muslims without charge.

A controversial figure, Mr Choudary has long been accused by community leaders of radicalising impressionable Muslims against the West.

As the leader of Al-Ghurabaa, a radical Islamic group soon to be banned under new Government legislation, Mr Choudary has come under attack many times in the past over his views.

On July 4, he was fined £300 for his part in organising the protests against Danish cartoons. Before that, he came under fire for refusing to condemn the 7/7 terrorist attacks, and for calling on Muslims not to cooperate with the police.