<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LONDON: A London court on Friday threw out a terror-related charge against a member of the Irish-language hip-hop group Kneecap, basing his decision on a procedural technicality in the suit against the widely criticized band. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rapper Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam &Oacute;g &Oacute; hAnnaidh, had been charged with a single count for waving a flag of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, banned in Britain as a terrorist organization, during a London concert last year. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But chief magistrate Paul Goldspring sitting at Woolwich Crown Court said the case should be thrown out following a technical error in the way the charge against the rapper was brought. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&ldquo;These proceedings were instituted unlawfully and are null,&rdquo; he said.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kneecap has faced criticism for political statements that seem to glorify militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Hungary and Canada have previously banned the group. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause throughout the war in Gaza. The band says it doesn&#39;t support Hezbollah and Hamas nor condone violence. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&Oacute; hAnnaidh, 27, had claimed the prosecution was a politically motivated effort to silence the band&rsquo;s support for Palestinians.

 person believed to be Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, aka Mo Chara, in a mask, a member of the Irish language band Kneecap, arrives at Woolwich Crown Court in London, Friday

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A London court on Friday threw out a terror-related charge against a member of the Irish-language hip-hop group Kneecap, basing his decision on a procedural technicality in the suit against the widely criticized band.

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British court throws out terror charge against Irish band member Kneecap rapper