UAE arrests 10 foreigners for posting real interception videos, sharing AI clips of explosions

The UAE has arrested 10 individuals of various nationalities for allegedly publishing misleading, fabricated footage of intercepted attacks and strikes on landmarks on social media platforms, Report informs via Khaleej Times.

The UAE Attorney-General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, ordered the arrest of the defendants of various nationalities. The accused have been referred to an urgent trial.

This action follows the continuous monitoring of digital platforms amid regional developments. Such events have been exploited to disseminate misinformation intended to deliberately mislead the public while undermining national security, order and stability, authorities said.

Investigations revealed that the defendants published videos featuring real footage of air defense systems intercepting attacks. Other clips depicted projectiles on the ground or crowds observing events. Additionally, they circulated fabricated footage created using artificial intelligence (AI) to falsely suggest explosions, strikes on prominent landmarks, or large fires with rising smoke across various areas of the UAE.

The incidents also involved exploiting children's emotions in videos falsely implying security threats. Other footage claimed the destruction of military facilities within the country or attributed foreign incidents to UAE locations, aiming to mislead public opinion and spread anxiety.

According to information released by authorities, the above list of defendants includes an Egyptian, a Filipino, a Vietnamese, a Pakistani, an Iranian, a Bangladeshi, a Cameroonian, a Nepalese and two Indians.

Publishing such clips, whether real or fabricated, could affect public security and create confusion, in addition to providing hostile media with material that could be used to distort facts, undermine confidence in the competent authorities and potentially reveal aspects of the country's defensive capabilities.

The Public Prosecution has commenced interrogating the defendants and ordered their remand in custody.

The Attorney-General explained that such acts constitute crimes punishable under the law by imprisonment for a period of no less than one year and a fine of no less than Dh100,000 (approximately $27,229) due to the deliberate dissemination of misinformation, threats to public security, the spread of fear among individuals and the undermining of social stability.

The attorney-general affirmed that the Public Prosecution will not tolerate any attempt to exploit cyberspace or modern technologies to spread misleading information or fabricated content that affects the security of the state or disturbs public order, including the circulation of clips showing the interception of attacks by the country's defense systems and the consequences that may result from publishing them.

He stressed that anyone proven to be involved in such acts will face immediate criminal accountability, noting that the competent authorities will continue to monitor such practices and take firm legal action against those responsible.