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Terrorism case against Kneecap rapper Mo Chara thrown out by London court

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THE CASE AGAINST Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been thrown out by the chief magistrate sitting at Woolwich Crown Court this morning following an error in the way the charge against him was brought.

Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had been accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year.

Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyer Brenda Campbell KC told a court last month that the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on 21 May.

She said consent was given the following day, which meant the charge fell outside the six-month timeframe in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the charge against Ó hAnnaidh was “unlawful” and “null”.

Concluding the reasons for his decision, he said: “I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary DPP and AG consent within the six-month statutory time limit set by section 127.

“The time limit requires consent to have been granted at the time or before the issue of the requisition.

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“Consequently the charge is unlawful and null and this court has no jurisdiction to try the charge.”

Ó hAnnaidh was not required to enter a plea to the charges against him and the prosecution now falls. 

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File photo of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, AKA Mo Chara Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

In response to the decision, Ó hAnnaidh’s solicitor Darragh Mackin said in a post on X: “The prosecution case was instituted unlawfully. The case ends today.”

He added: “Victory to Mo Chara. Victory to Kneecap. Victory to the freedom of expression.”

Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert also wrote on social media: “We have won!!!!!!

“Liam Og is a free man. We said we would fight them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER.

Political policing has failed. Kneecap is on the right side of history. Britain is not. Free Palestine.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill also welcomed the decision, calling the charges “a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza”.  


Michelle O’Neill / X (Formerly Twitter)

Protests

Ó hAnnaidh has been welcomed by hundreds of fans at both of his previous court appearances – with many waving flags and holding banners.

Further protests were organised for today with Kneecap criticising a move by London’s Metropolitan Police to restrict where supporters could gather outside the court. 

In a post on social media this morning, Kneecap described today’s proceedings as a “carnival of distraction”. 

With reporting from Rónán Duffy and David Mac Redmond

 

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Mass arrests for sextortion and romance scams in sting operation across Africa

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9 minutes ago

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26 September 2025

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Some 260 suspected cyber scammers have been arrested in a sting operation carried out across 14 African countries.

The operation, co-ordinated by Interpol and funded by the UK, targeted criminal networks using social media and digital platforms to extract money from victims in romance scams, and in so-called “sextortion”, in which victims are blackmailed using explicit imagery.

More than 1,400 victims across Ghana, Kenya, Angola and elsewhere were identified, with Interpol estimating their total losses at nearly $2.8m (£2.1m).

The global police network said it was committed to “disrupting and dismantling the groups that prey on vulnerable individuals online”.

During the crackdown which was carried out between July and August, police identified IP addresses, digital infrastructure, domains and social media profiles linked to members of the scam syndicates.

These leads and the subsequent arrests also resulted in the seizure of USB drives, Sim cards and forged documents, as well as the taking-down of 81 cyber-crime groups across Africa, Interpol said.

“Cyber-crime units across Africa are reporting a sharp rise in digital-enabled crimes such as sextortion and romance scams,” said Cyril Gout, the acting executive director of police services at Interpol.

He said the growth of online platforms had opened new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit victims “causing both financial loss and psychological harm”.

About 68 suspects were arrested in Ghana, where authorities seized 835 devices and identified 108 victims during the operation. Investigators there recovered $70,000 from the estimated $450,000 in financial losses.

Scammers in Ghana extracted payments using a range of schemes, including fake courier and customs shipment fees. They secretly recorded intimate videos during explicit chats and used them to blackmail people.

In Senegal, police arrested 22 suspects and uncovered a network that impersonated celebrities and used emotional manipulation on social media and dating platforms to defraud 120 victims of approximately $34,000.

A total of 65 devices, forged identification documents and money transfer records were seized during the operation there.

And in Ivory Coast, police arrested 24 suspects, seized 29 devices and identified 809 victims. Scammers used fake profiles online to blackmail victims, demanding payments to prevent public exposure.

Eight suspects were arrested in Angola where authorities identified 28 domestic and international victims, primarily targeted via social media. Scammers used fraudulent documents to create fake identities, facilitating financial transactions and concealing their real identities while engaging victims.

Other countries involved in the operation under the African Joint Operation against Cyber-crime project include Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.

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Kneecap rapper’s terror case thrown out

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12 minutes ago

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26 September 2025

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Kelly Bonner and Barry O’ConnorBBC News NI

imageReuters

The terrorism case against Kneecap rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been thrown out following a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought.

He was charged in May after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, in November 2024.

The 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, denied the charge and has described it as political.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the charge against Mr Ó hAnnaidh was “unlawful” and “null”.

The court erupted into applause as the judge handed down the ruling.

As Mr Ó hAnnaidh left the court his parents hugged him and said they were “delighted” it was over.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has welcomed the ruling.

The case was due to be heard at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but was moved to Woolwich, due to a burst water main.

Hezbollah is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.

During a court appearance on 20 August legal arguments around whether the charge was brought within the six-month time limit were heard.

His defence team were seeking to throw the case out, citing a technical error in the way the charge was brought against Mr Ó hAnnaidh.

Who are Kneecap?

imagePA Media Liam Óg Ó hAnnaigh, centre, speaking into a microphone. He is wearing a black tracksuit top, a white and black scarf, black sunglasses and a navy hat. He is surrounded by a crowd of people. A man in a dark grey suit, white shirt and grey tie is standing to the right of him.PA Media
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Kneecap rapper’s terror case thrown out

Published

12 minutes ago

on

26 September 2025

By

Read more on post.

5 minutes ago

Kelly Bonner and Barry O’ConnorBBC News NI

imageReuters

The terrorism case against Kneecap rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been thrown out following a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought.

He was charged in May after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, in November 2024.

The 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, denied the charge and has described it as political.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the charge against Mr Ó hAnnaidh was “unlawful” and “null”.

The court erupted into applause as the judge handed down the ruling.

As Mr Ó hAnnaidh left the court his parents hugged him and said they were “delighted” it was over.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has welcomed the ruling.

The case was due to be heard at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but was moved to Woolwich, due to a burst water main.

Hezbollah is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.

During a court appearance on 20 August legal arguments around whether the charge was brought within the six-month time limit were heard.

His defence team were seeking to throw the case out, citing a technical error in the way the charge was brought against Mr Ó hAnnaidh.

Who are Kneecap?

imagePA Media Liam Óg Ó hAnnaigh, centre, speaking into a microphone. He is wearing a black tracksuit top, a white and black scarf, black sunglasses and a navy hat. He is surrounded by a crowd of people. A man in a dark grey suit, white shirt and grey tie is standing to the right of him.PA Media
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