LONDON: A UK court on Tuesday found Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain not guilty of encouraging terrorism in Karachi from London, local media reported.
A majority verdict of 10-2 was returned by jurors on the third day of deliberations. The jury was directed to reach a majority decision after failing to reach a unanimous verdict. After nine hours, the jury found Hussain to be not guilty.
Hussain was charged with “encouraging terrorism” in an incendiary speech relayed from the United Kingdom to his followers in Pakistan on Aug 22, 2016. He was arrested and released on bail before charges were filed in 2019, three years after Scotland Yard launched an investigation into speeches made in the UK.
Hussain had pleaded not guilty to the charge filed under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006. The indictment had been split into two separate counts, both relating to the offence of “encouraging terrorism”, contrary to section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that Hussain did not “answer, apologise, explain” his innocence or give answers to obvious questions. The defence counsel, however, said Hussain did not have more to add. The counsel also said that Hussain’s apology on Twitter after the speeches demonstrated his regret.
Arguments in the case had concluded last week. Although it was initially expected that Hussain would take the stand, ultimately his counsel shared with the court that he decided against it.
Justice May had said that Hussain’s decision was his right and that the jury could conclude that he did not give evidence at trial to undermine and contradict his speeches.
The MQM founder, who is also wanted by the Pakistani authorities in number of cases, had delivered the fiery speech via telephone to a party gathering outside the Karachi Press Club on August 22, 2016 after which party workers chanted anti-Pakistan slogans and vandalised a media office nearby.
The MQM founder has lived in self-imposed exile in London since the early 1990s, when he applied for asylum. He was later granted British citizenship. From London, Hussain has played an active role in politics, regularly broadcasting political speeches to his followers in Karachi.
