LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain arrived at a London police station on Thursday after his bail expired in a probe related to his alleged hate speeches to his followers in Pakistan through video addresses.
Hussain reached the Southwark Police Station of Metropolitan Police in London, accompanied by a handful of London-based supporters. This is his third appearance in connection with the case.
On Sept 12, Hussain’s bail in the said probe was extended after he was grilled for five hours at the same police station.
The MQM founder was arrested by the Met Police on June 11 on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offenses contrary to Section 44 (intentionally encouraging or assisting an offense) of the Serious Crime Act, 2007. However, he was released on bail a day later by the British authorities without filing charges.
The investigation that led to his arrest was led by the Met’s counterterrorism command, a statement released at the time said.
The Met said the inquiry was “focused on a speech broadcast in August 2016 by an individual associated with the MQM movement in Pakistan as well as other speeches previously broadcast by the same person”.
Officers in June had searched two addresses linked to the MQM founder in north-west London. Police had also said that its officers had been liaising with authorities in Pakistan in relation to their ongoing inquiry.
