LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain will go on trial at the Old Bailey on 1st June, 2020, in the terrorism case brought against him by Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division related to the incitement speech made in August 2016 from London to Karachi.

The MQM supremo appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday for a procedural hearing of the case. Justice Sweeny, hearing the case, announced that the trail will start on 1st June 2020 and name of the trial judge will be announced later.

Flanked by his colleagues from the MQM International Secretariat, the MQM founder arrived at the court six weeks after being charged at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court with a terrorism offence in the incitement speech inquiry against him.

At the same hearing, the bail for Hussain was extended. It was agreed that a preliminary hearing would be held on March 20, 2020. The bail conditions will remain in effect while Altaf Hussain is on bail.

In a statement, the MQM’s International Secretariat said: “The founder and leader of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain attended a case management hearing at the Old Bailey, Central Court. The Honorable Judge has set a timetable between the defense and prosecution for exchanging documents.”