HATE preacher Anjem Choudary is spending his days praying up to seven times – and gorging on chocolate bars.

The cleric piled on two stone when he was banged up in prison on charges of supporting terror group ISIS.

He was able to spend up to Ł25 a week on treats from the nick’s canteen list because supporters swelled his prison bank account with hundreds of pounds.

Now the cash has been transferred to him following his release and he’s spending the money on soft drinks, chocolate and cakes bought from shops near his bail hostel in London.

And as well as continuing his love affair with sugary snacks, he prays for hours a day – beginning his devotions before dawn.

A source revealed: "He starts before sunrise and it is well after midnight before he’s done. Only for him to start again at about 5.50 am.

"He knows no one will say anything to him because they’ll be accused of religious persecution or something outlandish so the rest of the residents just let him get on with it even though they can hear him reciting his prayers at all hours.

"And when he’s not praying he’s eating. He comes back with a bagful of chocolate or cakes most days and eats them in his room. He is not a sharing kind of guy and doesn’t mix with the other residents."

Devout Muslims should pray at least five times a day from seven sets of worship and the source added: "He does the full set of seven prayers – every single day."

The hardliner - who The Sun revealed has applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance - has been told he must also undertake lessons in moderate theology and receive mentoring as part of a new government bid to combat extremism.

The 51-year-old will be one of the first to undergo the "desistance and disengagement" programme as part of his licensed release from prison.

It comes amid fears over ex-prisoners jailed for extremism now being released back into the community who may be a threat to public safety – currently around one a week.

A security source added: "Re-education, deradicalisation and halting extremism from feeding young minds is so important now, but most important is that we stop extremists reoffending."

He was jailed for five-and-a-half years for inviting support for the Islamic State group and was freed after serving half his sentence.