Pakistan arrests man accused of spreading disinformation that fueled right-wing riots in Britain
Police in Pakistan have arrested a man accused of spreading false information online that fueled anti-immigrant riots in Britain.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Police in Pakistan have arrested a man accused of spreading false information online that fueled anti-immigrant riots in Britain.
Violence erupted across Britain this month after the deaths of three young girls in a July 29 stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. Rumors quickly spread online that the assailant was a refugee and a radical Islamist, prompting right-wing mobs to attack hotels that house asylum-seekers, as well as mosques and libraries.
Farhan Asif was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore and charged with cybercrime, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency said in a report dated Tuesday and seen by NBC News. It said Asif had posted an article on the website for his publication Channel3Now falsely reporting that British police had arrested a Muslim asylum-seeker in connection with the Southport stabbings.
“The false claim, widely circulated in social media, spurred the far right section into violent rioting,” the report said.
Asif was also accused of reposting false information on his X account without verifying its authenticity and “with the intent of glorifying the incident.” Police said his actions “created a sense of fear” in Britain and damaged Pakistan’s reputation.
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