UK to strike Al Masirah off register on November 10 — The National
The UK companies register plans to strike London-based company Al Masirah TV, linked to the Houthi television channel of the same name, off the register on November 10. The company failed to file its annual accounts and a confirmation statement confirming that publicly available information, including details of directors, is up to date, The National reports.
Registry warning
Al Masirah TV has been registered with the UK’s Companies House since 2014. According to the publication, the company did not broadcast content or receive revenue, but regularly filed reports until The National reported on its presence in the United Kingdom in January.
On August 25, the company was given two months to submit annual accounts and a statement confirming the accuracy of publicly available registration data. The requirement was not met, so the Companies House record states that the company will be dissolved on November 10. To prevent this, it needs to obtain a court order.
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Company information
To maintain a presence in London, Al Masirah TV used the postal address of a café. The directors of the British company include Ammar Al-Hamzi, the chief executive of the Al Masirah media network. The parent television channel broadcasts in Yemen and is based in Beirut.
Ibrahim Al-Dulaimi, the Houthi representative in Iran and a member of the political council of the Ansar Allah movement, is listed as a former director. The exact purpose of the company’s registration in the United Kingdom is unknown. At the same time, its presence has raised concerns about possible illegal financing, abuse of visa procedures, and the collection of intelligence on political opponents.
Alicia Kearns, who is responsible for national security issues in the shadow government, told the publication that striking the company off the register raises questions about why it was able to exist in Britain at all. The government agreed to examine Al Masirah TV’s presence after Conservative MP Bob Blackman voiced concerns in the House of Commons about a possible breach of terrorism financing rules or the use of the company as a front to obtain visas.
