Suspect arrested in Lahore for 'triggering UK riots via fake news'

• DIG says arrested individual handed over to FIA cybercrime wing.
• Sources say FIA's Chaudhry Sarfaraz leading probe.
• Farhan's fake news allegedly triggered riots in UK.

Weeks after a fake news sparked anti-immigrant riots in the United Kingdom, a Pakistani man allegedly involved in spreading the false information was taken into custody in Lahore, DIG Operations Faisal Kamran confirmed on Tuesday.

During the last few weeks, Britain witnessed widespread riots after misinformation spread about the identity of the alleged perpetrator of the knife attack that left three minor girls dead on July 29 this year.

The recent riots saw numerous mosques, asylum centres and immigrant homes being attacked in several regions of Britain.

Sharing an update on X, formerly Twitter on August 14, the UK police authorities said that they had arrested over 1,000 people in connection with the weeks-long riots in England.

The UK police further said that at least 575 people have been charged, as courts continue to deal with those involved in the disorder, which occurred across dozens of towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland.

The Lahore police official said that the suspect identified as Farhan Asif was arrested last night in the provincial capital's DHA area and was handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime wing for interrogation.

Farhan Asif works for a news platform based in Pakistan, DIG Kamran said, adding that the individual has been charged with spreading "fake news” regarding the identity of the killer of three children who were stabbed to death.

The police official added that fake news caused violent riots and protests in Britain, adding that the accused was probed and was found involved in disseminating fake news.

The FIA sources told Geo News that the investigating agency’s Additional Director Cybercrime Chaudhry Sarfaraz is leading the investigation.

The FIA sources further said that Farhan had confessed to interrogators that he once published a story on his news website without knowing that the post would go viral. 

Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, were killed in the stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town of Southport on July 29. The assault also left eight children and two adults wounded.

A 17-year-old suspect was arrested. However, due to his age, his identity was not disclosed. But, misinformation about the suspect's Muslim identity began circulating online. Social media reports named him Ali-Al-Shakati, claiming he migrated to the UK by boat in 2023.

These social media claims that the suspect was a Muslim immigrant triggered anti-immigrant riots across the UK.