Man Arrested in Pakistan for Spreading False Info on Southport Stabbing

August 21 (UPI) – Authorities in Pakistan have arrested a man, Farhan Asif, for allegedly disseminating false information that incited anti-immigrant unrest in Britain following a tragic stabbing incident in Southport. The stabbing, which occurred on July 29, resulted in the deaths of three young girls and injuries to ten others. Asif is suspected of cyber terrorism, with law enforcement connecting him to a website, Channel3Now, that propagated misleading narratives about the alleged attacker. The website falsely identified the suspect and suggested he was an asylum seeker who arrived in Britain via small boat, a stereotype often associated with immigrants. This disinformation quickly spread across social media platforms, coinciding with a surge of violent far-right protests in England and Northern Ireland in response to the stabbing. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan reported that Asif admitted to posting the fabricated information after sourcing it from social media. The unrest in Britain has led to multiple arrests, including Kieran Usher, who became the first adult charged with rioting related to the far-right violence. He appeared in South Tyneside Magistrates' Court but did not enter a plea, with a follow-up court date scheduled at Newcastle Crown Court. The stabbing incident, which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, has drawn significant media attention and raised concerns about the impact of misinformation on public sentiment and safety. In the aftermath of the stabbing, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder, further complicating the narrative surrounding the incident and its repercussions.