LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has once again been summoned for questioning in connection with an inciting speech he delivered in August 2016 from London while addressing a rally in Karachi.
Hussain, accompanied by his British lawyer, appeared for questioning at the Southwark police station on Thursday.
According to the British police, the MQM founder used his right to ‘no comment’ and did not answer any question asked by the detectives.
It is important to mention here that the British police have yet to decide whether to charge Hussain or extend his bail under Section 44 of the Criminal Evidence Act 2007.
According to a police source, Hussain has been asked to appear at the police station to answer questions in a hate speech inquiry launched against him after Pakistani authorities’ submitted new material to Scotland Yard detectives overseeing the case.
According to sources close to the development, the MQM founder’s bail would end on Thursday (today) and for this reason he has been asked to appear at the police station in person to answer questions in connection with the ongoing investigation.
The investigation is being led by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and mainly focuses on a speech delivered by Hussain in 2016.
Arrested in June this year, the MQM founder was summoned again by police to answer bail condition in the second week of July. However, his bail was extended through a letter issued by the police to his attorney back then.
The fresh decision to call Hussain to the police station means that the police have come up with new questions and that there are new lines of inquiry.
According to police sources, the MQM founder is under strict bail conditions while investigations against him continue. Under the conditions, he is not allowed to address a crowd of people and is required to stay at the designated address under curfew conditions from dawn till dusk. In addition, he cannot travel outside the United Kingdom without first seeking permission from the police.
Hussain was arrested on June 11 this year during a dawn raid at his house and was taken to a south London police station. At the time, the Scotland Yard had said that Hussain had been taken into custody on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences that went against Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.
Hussain, accompanied by his British lawyer, appeared for questioning at the Southwark police station on Thursday.
According to the British police, the MQM founder used his right to ‘no comment’ and did not answer any question asked by the detectives.
It is important to mention here that the British police have yet to decide whether to charge Hussain or extend his bail under Section 44 of the Criminal Evidence Act 2007.
According to a police source, Hussain has been asked to appear at the police station to answer questions in a hate speech inquiry launched against him after Pakistani authorities’ submitted new material to Scotland Yard detectives overseeing the case.
According to sources close to the development, the MQM founder’s bail would end on Thursday (today) and for this reason he has been asked to appear at the police station in person to answer questions in connection with the ongoing investigation.
The investigation is being led by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and mainly focuses on a speech delivered by Hussain in 2016.
Arrested in June this year, the MQM founder was summoned again by police to answer bail condition in the second week of July. However, his bail was extended through a letter issued by the police to his attorney back then.
The fresh decision to call Hussain to the police station means that the police have come up with new questions and that there are new lines of inquiry.
According to police sources, the MQM founder is under strict bail conditions while investigations against him continue. Under the conditions, he is not allowed to address a crowd of people and is required to stay at the designated address under curfew conditions from dawn till dusk. In addition, he cannot travel outside the United Kingdom without first seeking permission from the police.
Hussain was arrested on June 11 this year during a dawn raid at his house and was taken to a south London police station. At the time, the Scotland Yard had said that Hussain had been taken into custody on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences that went against Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.