Hezbollah terror case against Kneecap rapper thrown out after technical error

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

The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year.

At Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring agreed with O hAnnaidh’s lawyers, who argued 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 May 21.

In his judgment, Mr Goldspring said: “These proceedings were instituted unlawfully and are null.”

There were huge cheers from the public gallery as the chief magistrate handed down his judgment, with O hAnnaidh smiling and putting both his thumbs up to supporters at the conclusion of the hearing.

Following the hearing, the rapper told crowds: “We will not be silent.”

O hAnnaidh said: “This entire process was never about me.

“It was never about any threat to the public, it was never about terrorism – a word used by your Government to discredit people you oppress.

“It was always about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up.”

He continued: “Your attempts to silence us have failed because we’re right and you’re wrong. We will not be silent.

“We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. Today, we have.

“If anyone on this planet is guilty of terrorism, it’s the British state. Free Palestine.”

After O hAnnaidh left court, he applauded as crowds cheered, before posing for photographs with his bandmates.

Concluding the reasons for his decision, the chief magistrate said: “I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and AG (Attorney General) consent within the six-month statutory time limit.

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

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

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove previously told a court that permission from the DPP and AG was not required until the defendant’s first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge.

The chief magistrate dismissed the arguments, telling the court they “defy logic”.

Following the hearing, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We will work with the Crown Prosecution Service to understand the potential implications of this ruling for us and how that might impact on the processing of such cases in the future.”

Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert said the rap trio were on the “right side of history”, and said in a post on X: “We said we would fight them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER.”

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill welcomed the move, saying: “These charges were part of a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

“Kneecap have used their platform on stages across the world to expose this genocide, and it is the responsibility of all of us to continue speaking out and standing against injustice in Palestine.”

The case against O hAnnaidh, outlined by the prosecution at a previous hearing, alleged there was a video recording showing him wearing and displaying the flag of Hezbollah while saying “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.