In an ongoing investigation, a court in Lahore, Pakistan granted authorities four more days to question a man suspected of spreading false information that triggered widespread rioting in the United Kingdom earlier this month. The suspect, identified as Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old freelance web developer, was charged with cyber terrorism after his arrest from his residence in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province.

Amid tight security, Asif was brought before the court where he was prohibited from interacting with the media. Kiran Muqeem, the prosecutor for the Federal Investigation Agency, informed the court that the suspect failed to cooperate with officers during questioning. The authorities had sought a two-week custody, but the court limited it to four more days.

Muqeem later highlighted that Asif played a significant role in disseminating fake news, which resulted in riots occurring in England. Clad in blue shalwar kameez garments and handcuffed, Asif appeared in court. His defense lawyer, Rana Rizwan, expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the court granted custody to the federal agency without adequately hearing his client's side.

The allegations against Asif involve the spread of misinformation on YouTube and Facebook regarding the British teenage suspect in a stabbing attack that took place on July 29. The attack claimed the lives of three young girls and injured ten others during a dance class in Northwest England. The false information propagated by Asif claimed that the suspect was a recently arrived asylum-seeker with a Muslim-sounding name. Subsequently, after the misinformation incited violence, the police clarified that the suspect was actually born in the UK, and his parents are from Rwanda with Christian beliefs.

Channel3 Now, an account on the X social media platform claiming to be a news channel, was among the first outlets to report the false name, Ali Al-Shakati. Authorities have discovered that Asif was solely responsible for managing Channel3 Now and intentionally spread misinformation to gain more viewers.

The investigation surrounding Farhan Asif's involvement in spreading false information continues as authorities work to uncover the extent of his network and potential impact on recent riots in the UK.