Written By Lisa Murimi
Pakistani authorities have arrested Farhan Asif, a man suspected of cyber terrorism, in connection with disinformation that allegedly fueled unrest in the UK.Â
The arrest follows a viral article published on the website Channel3Now, which falsely named the suspect in a fatal stabbing attack in Southport, England, and suggested he was an asylum seeker.
The article, which spread rapidly on social media, is believed to have incited violent disorder across England and Northern Ireland.
The unrest began after the July 29 attack, where three young girls were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Lahore police questioned Asif, who admitted to writing the article based on unverified information from a UK-based social media account.
Asif claimed to run the website alone. Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency is now investigating whether others were involved.
The disinformation led to widespread riots in Southport and beyond, fueled by far-right and anti-immigration sentiments.
As of Tuesday, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service reported that 494 people have been charged in relation to the unrest, with over 130 already sentenced to jail.
The incident underscores the dangers of unchecked misinformation and its potential to incite violence on a large scale.
