Pakistani freelancer arrested for cyber terrorism over UK Riot Disinformation
- In Reports
- 10:59 PM, Aug 22, 2024
- Myind Staff
On 21st August, Pakistan's top investigation agency arrested Farhan Asif, a web freelancer, on cyber terrorism charges. Asif is accused of spreading false information that contributed to race-motivated riots in the UK. The unrest followed the stabbing of three young girls in Southport, England, last month.
The riots erupted after false claims circulated online, alleging that the suspect in the stabbing was a Muslim refugee who had recently arrived illegally in the UK by boat. Asif, a freelance web developer associated with the platform Channel3Now, was arrested at his residence in Lahore's Defence House Authority. This action followed a request from the British government for an investigation.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed a case against Asif under sections 9 and 10A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). According to a copy of the FIR obtained by PTI, Asif posted an article on his website, www.channel3now.com, titled "17-year-old Ali Al Shakati arrested in connection with a stabbing incident in Southport England." The article falsely claimed that a Muslim asylum seeker was arrested by police in connection with the fatal stabbings at a holiday dance party in Southport on July 29.
The FIA stated that the false information shared widely on social media incited far-right groups to engage in violent riots. Asif reportedly admitted to misleading the BBC about his accomplices to shift the blame. The FIA, along with police, conducted a raid at Asif’s residence and arrested him.
A senior FIA official mentioned that the Pakistan government might consider extraditing Asif to the UK if requested, due to the seriousness of the matter. Recent UK media reports have identified Channel3Now as the source of the false news about the suspect being a Muslim immigrant. However, ITV News’s claim that a Pakistani individual originated the false story has been questioned by both local law enforcement and other UK media outlets.
Investigators believe Asif was not the original source of the false news but copied it from a social media post. The disinformation was initially published by kossyderrickent.com, a little-known tabloid, on July 29. The tabloid covers celebrity and trending topics in various countries.
The false information was then spread by a UK-based woman with a history of promoting disinformation about COVID-19 and climate change. The FIA reported that despite Asif’s attempt to correct his mistake by deleting the post and issuing an apology, the disinformation continued to spread and gain traction online.
Image source: Reuters
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