Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Wednesday, 21st August 2024, at 17:15hrs
Local authorities in Pakistan have reportedly charged a man with spreading misinformation about the Southport stabbing suspect.
Then 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana carried out the heinous crime at the Hart Space Community Hub, Taylor Swift themed dance class that was being attended by children on Monday 29th July 2024, sadly claiming the lives of three young girls and injuring eight more, with two adults also being hospitalised following the knife attack who were trying to shield the children at the time of the incident.
Now 18-year-old Rudakubana could not be named at the time due to his age but reporting restrictions were later lifted by a judge at Liverpool Crown Court when he appeared charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder along with possessing a blade article.
News travelled fast in relation to this incident, and it was reported at the time by a media company later traced to Pakistan as an asylum seeker who had a Muslim name, which was totally untrue.
This sparked off violent disorder in Southport on Tuesday night with a mosque being attacked and police officers injured following missiles being thrown, including bricks, bottles, and a police van being set alight.
Widespread disorder then ensued across different towns and cities across the UK, which has led to more than a thousand people being arrested and nearly five hundred sent to prison.
The suspect was identified as Farhan Asif, a 32-year-old web developer, according to police.
At a news conference in the eastern city of Lahore, police said on Tuesday that Asif was arrested at his house in the city for questioning.
They said Asif had claimed he was not the source of the misinformation but that he reposted it from social media.
Police have handed over the case to the Federal Investigation Agency, which handles cases relating to cyberterrorism. It was unclear if Britain had requested his extradition.
G2K INCIDENT WATCH 