A Muslim from Bethnal Green with links to a banned Islamist group has been found guilty of keeping al-Qaeda manuals that could be used for terrorist attacks.

Afsor Ali, 27, was found guilty at the Old Bailey today on three counts of possessing documents likely to be used for committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

These included electronic files containing the online al-Qaeda magazine Inspire, produced by the group’s Yemeni branch, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and an essay called 39 Means to Serve and Participate in Jihad.

Ali was found not guilty on a fourth count of possessing terrorist documents.

Counter-terrorism police arrested Ali in November 2012 and seized a number of media devices after a search of two homes in east London.

He was charged with possessing written material deemed to be useful to terrorists in breach of Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Ali is believed to have been a member of the banned group Muslims Against Crusades, run by hate-preacher Anjem Choudhury and proscribed by the government under various names.

Commander Duncan Ball of Counter Terrorism Command said: “Afsor Ali has been found guilty of being involved in terrorism offences.

“We continue to target those who support, or are involved in terrorist acts, and where there is evidence to support prosecutions we will put those responsible before the courts.”

Ali has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on August 12.