Altaf Hussain, the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has been charged with a terrorism offense in the United Kingdom over a hate speech that he made in August 2016.
BREAKING
MQM founder Altaf Hussain charged in London with a terrorism offence over a speech made in August 2016
— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) October 10, 2019
A statement by the Metropolitan Police London stated that a 66-year old man was charged with a terrorism offense, in connection with a speech delivered in August 2016. The charges have come forward after Hussain was summoned at the Metropolitan Police Southwark Police Station in London, on Thursday.
Altaf Hussain booked for Inciting Terrorism
Altaf Hussain, on Thursday, made his third appearance at the Metropolitan Police station after his bail expired, as part of the investigation into his alleged hate speech, aired to his followers in Pakistan.
Olly Barratt, a London-based broadcast journalist revealed, “Altaf Hussain charged under section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006 with encouraging terrorism.”
Altaf Hussain charged under section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006 with encouraging terrorism
— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) October 10, 2019
The MQM Founder was arrested in June on suspicions of intentionally encouraging or abetting offenses listed in Britain’s Serious Crime Act, 2007.
The London Metropolitan Police stated that the investigation was directed at a speech broadcasted in August 2016, by an individual linked with the MQM movement in Pakistan, alongside other speeches that had been broadcasted by the same individual in the past.
The MQM had delivered an aggressively-worded speech through the telephone to a gathering of MQM supporters outside the Karachi Press Club
The Met statement added, “He was arrested on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offenses contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007. As part of the investigation, officers are carrying out a search at the northwest London address.”
After spending a day in prison, Altaf Hussain was released by the British authorities on bail. No charges were filed against him. The Metropolitan Police stated that it was cooperating with the Pakistani authorities in an ongoing investigation against the hate speech.
Read more: UK considers hate charges against Altaf Hussain
Olly Barratt reported that Altaf Hussain’s “speech in 2016 directed at crowds in Karachi, was according to charge: ‘likely to be understood by some or all of members of the public to whom they were published as a direct or indirect encouragement to them to the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism’.
speech in 2016 directed at crowds in Karachi, was according to charge: 'likely to be understood by some or all of members of the public to whom they were published as a direct or indirect encouragement to them to the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism'
— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) October 10, 2019
The London-based broadcast journalist further added that Hussain “will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court today.”
66 yr old will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court today.
— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) October 10, 2019
Hate Speech Case
Earlier in September, the British police had detained and interrogated the MQM founder for five hours, as part of the investigation on the same case. Afterward, Altaf Hussain was granted a bail extension and released.
The MQM had delivered an aggressively-worded speech through the telephone to a gathering of MQM supporters outside the Karachi Press Club on 22nd August 2016. Following his speech, the MQM workers had raised anti-Pakistan slogans and vandalized a media office near the press club.
Read more: Bhai Taken Again: Scotland Yard detains MQM founder Altaf Hussain
In the aftermath of this incident, the Karachi wing of the MQM, led by Farooq Sattar, distanced itself from the MQM founder and the London wing of the party. The Interior Minister at that time, PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar, contacted the British authorities, and urged them to take action against Hussain for “inciting the people of Pakistan to commit violence.”
In 2017, the Scotland Yard dispatched a letter to Pakistan, under the Mutual Legal Assistance, with regards to the two speeches by Altaf Hussain on 11th March 2015, and 22nd August 2016. The MQM founder has been residing in a self-imposed exile in London for over twenty years. He had requested asylum from the British authorities in the 1990s, and since then, he acquiring UK citizenship.
Pakistani authorities have, time and again, demanded the British authorities to take action against him for encouraging the people in Pakistan to commit violence.