Wat-Not Staff
A Pakistani court recently acquitted Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old freelance web developer, of cyberterrorism charges after he was arrested in connection with spreading disinformation that allegedly led to race-motivated riots in the United Kingdom. Asif, associated with the online platform Channel3Now, was accused of posting false information about the arrest of a Muslim asylum seeker following a stabbing incident in Southport, England, which resulted in the deaths of three girls and injuries to ten others. Despite the initial allegations and his subsequent arrest, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) found no evidence linking Asif to the intentional dissemination of fake news, leading to his release and acquittal.
Pakistani Web Developer Acquitted of Cyber Terrorism Charges
Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old freelance web developer from Lahore, was acquitted of cyber terrorism charges by a Pakistani court. The case stemmed from allegations that Asif was involved in disseminating false information about a stabbing incident in Southport, England, which led to violent race-motivated riots in the UK. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) initially charged him under Sections 9 and 10A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for his role in spreading the misinformation through his website, Channel3Now.
During a hearing, the judge found insufficient evidence to support the claim that Asif had intentionally spread misinformation. The FIA reported that Asif had deleted the false post within six hours of its publication and cooperated with the investigation. The court ultimately concluded that the FIA had not proven Asif’s involvement in intentionally inciting violence through disinformation.
Disinformation Origins and Investigation Findings
The disinformation about the stabbing incident was initially published by a tabloid website, kossyderrickent.com, before being shared widely on social media. The misinformation falsely identified the suspect as a Muslim immigrant, which exacerbated tensions and led to riots in the UK. Despite initial accusations linking Asif to the spread of this false narrative, further investigation revealed that he was not the original source.
The FIA’s investigation indicated that Asif merely republished content from other sources rather than originating the misinformation. Asif issued an apology and removed the erroneous content upon realizing the mistake. The investigation highlighted that the disinformation continued to spread through other channels even after Asif’s correction, complicating efforts to trace its origins accurately.
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