27-8-2024 (LAHORE) A Pakistani national, who had been accused of spreading misinformation that allegedly contributed to anti-immigration riots in Britain, has been released from custody after authorities failed to find sufficient evidence against him, his lawyer confirmed on Monday.
Farhan Asif, who had been arrested by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on charges of cyber terrorism, was freed following his appearance at a Lahore court. The allegations against Asif centred on the publication of an article falsely claiming that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible for a tragic knife attack on children in the United Kingdom.
Mumtaz Hussain, Asif’s legal representative, told AFP, “The FIA have dropped all charges and released him after being unable to find evidence against him.” The FIA has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Initially, FIA officials had alleged that Asif was behind Channel3Now, a website that presents itself as a news outlet but has been described as a clickbait platform. The controversial article, which contained the false information, appeared on Channel3Now shortly after the attack and was widely circulated on social media platforms. The website is no longer accessible.
Speaking to local media following his release, Asif stated that he had reshared a post on Twitter containing the false information but deleted it after seeing a statement from local police. “I am taking a break from social media,” he added, indicating his intention to step back from online activities in the wake of the incident.
The case stems from the aftermath of a shocking knife attack that occurred on July 29 in Southport, resulting in the deaths of three young girls during a dance class. In the wake of this tragedy, more than a dozen English towns and cities experienced unrest and riots, with far-right elements being blamed for exacerbating the disorder.
The individual charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the stabbing spree, Axel Rudakubana, was born in Britain to parents of Rwandan origin. Rwanda is predominantly a Christian country, a fact that contradicts the false narrative that had been spread about the attacker’s background.
