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8mo ago

Pakistani Court Acquits Man Accused of Spreading Misinformation Linked to UK Riots

Farhan Asif was cleared of charges after investigators found no evidence of intentional wrongdoing.

Farhan Asif, second right, is escorted for his court appearance, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Aug. 26, 2024.
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) personnel escort Farhan Asif (2R), arrested allegedly over cyber terrorism, to a court in Lahore on August 22, 2024. A Pakistani man appeared in court on August 21, to face charges of cyber terrorism after allegedly spreading disinformation on his clickbait website thought to have fuelled anti-immigration riots in Britain. (Photo by Arif ALI / AFP) (Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Protestors throw a garbage bin on fire outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, England on 4 August 2024

Overview

  • Farhan Asif was arrested in Lahore and charged with cyberterrorism related to UK riots.
  • The misinformation falsely blamed a Muslim asylum-seeker for a deadly attack in Southport.
  • Asif deleted the posts and apologized after realizing the information was incorrect.
  • The riots resulted in over 500 arrests and significant unrest in England and Northern Ireland.
  • Authorities confirmed the actual attacker was a British teenager of Rwandan descent.