LONDON: Scotland Yard has charged the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain in incitement speech inquiry for Intentionally Encouraging or Assisting Offences, Contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

The police announced that the MQM founder has been charged in connection with the August 16, 2016, speech made from London to Karachi that resulted violence.

"Altaf Hussain (17.09.1953), of Abbey View, Mill Hill, NW7, was charged under section 1(2) of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006 with encouraging terrorism, namely:On 22 August 2016 published a speech to crowds gathered in Karachi, Pakistan which were likely to be understood by some or all of the 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 and at the time he published them, intended them to be so encouraged, or was reckless as to whether they would be so encouraged," the statement read.

"Detectives from the Met's counter terrorism command have today, October 10, charged a 66 years old man with a terrorism offence in connection with the speech made August 2016."

This was Hussain's third appearance at the police station after the expiration of his bail in an investigation into his alleged hate speech to followers in Pakistan.

Hussain was arrested in June on the suspicions of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences of Britain’s Serious Crime Act, 2007.

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, said the London Metropolitan Police in a statement released after the June arrest.