The Counter-Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) has dropped the investigation into former Pakistan Army officer and YouTuber Adil Raja regarding allegations of terrorism incitement linked to the events of May 9th due to insufficient evidence.
Raja was initially detained on June 12, 2023, in Chesham by CTPSE detectives under suspicion of inciting terrorism related to violence in Pakistan. The decision to release Raja without charges came after a thorough review of the evidence and available information, which, according to police sources, did not substantiate his involvement in the alleged terrorist activities.
Read: British Authorities Detain YouTuber Adil Raja: Charges Under Investigation
Raja was arrested under Section 59 of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000 for allegedly inciting non-UK persons to commit acts of terrorism outside the UK. Despite initial suspicions concerning his live broadcast immediately following the arrest of Imran Khan, which allegedly incited violence against military installations in Pakistan, both UK and Canadian authorities found no grounds for action against Raja’s colleague, Haider Mehdi, a Canada-based broadcaster and retired Pakistan army officer.
Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which cited a lack of realistic prospects for a successful prosecution due to insufficient evidence, the investigation was formally closed. This closure came despite Winchester Crown Court’s issuance of an arrest and search warrant under Section 9 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Throughout the investigation, Raja consistently denied involvement in terrorism incitement, represented by criminal law defence expert Akhtar Ahmad of ABV Solicitors. Following the closure of the case, Raja, who had been bailed multiple times, received his electronic devices back from the police, among them a computer which he claims was damaged during the investigation, for which he is seeking compensation.
Having moved to the UK after the parliamentary vote-out of Imran Khan’s government, Raja faces multiple charges in Pakistan, all of which he contends are politically motivated. He currently resides outside London with his family.
