Kamal Ghorui
The UAE, grappling with continued strikes from Tehran, on Sunday ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for allegedly publishing video clips on social media containing misleading and fabricated content using AI amid rising regional tensions due to the Israel-US-Iran war.The accused have been referred for an expedited trial, according to a report by the United Arab Emirates’ official news agency, WAM.Follow live updates on Iran warThe move comes as Iran’s strikes continue to keep key UAE cities, Dubai, Sharjah, and the capital Abu Dhabi, within their potential target range.The individuals of various nationalities have been charged with filming videos of incoming missiles and drones, including their passage and interception, and circulating them online with added commentary and sound effects that authorities said created panic and heightened public anxiety.Also read: Major fire breaks out at Dubai International Airport after drone strikeThe latest list includes 25 individuals of various nationalities, among them 17 Indians, booked under different sections. This is separate from the earlier case involving 10 people, including two Indians, who were named and ordered to be arrested on Saturday.According to a statement issued by attorney-general Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the action followed intensive monitoring of digital platforms to curb the spread of fabricated information and artificial content aimed at inciting public disorder and undermining stability.“Investigations and electronic monitoring revealed that the defendants were divided into three groups that committed various acts. These included the publication of real clips related to current events, the fabrication of clips using AI, and the promotion of a state practising acts of military aggression while glorifying its leadership and military actions,” the statement said.The first group, comprising 10 accused, allegedly published and circulated authentic video clips showing the passage and interception of missiles in the country’s airspace or the resulting impact. They also filmed gatherings of people watching these developments and added commentary and sound effects suggesting active aggression, which authorities said could incite public anxiety and panic.Officials said such footage risked exposing the country’s defensive capabilities and enabling hostile accounts to push misleading narratives. This group includes five Indians, one Pakistani, one Nepali, two Filipinos and one Egyptian.The second group shared fabricated visual content generated using AI or recirculated footage of incidents from outside the UAE while falsely claiming they occurred within the country. The clips depicted synthetic scenes of explosions and missile strikes, often including national flags or specific dates to make the false claims appear credible.This group consists of seven individuals, five Indians and one each from Nepal and Bangladesh.The third group, comprising six accused, allegedly published content glorifying a hostile state and its political and military leadership, portraying its regional military aggression as achievements. Authorities said the posts praised leaders of that state and amplified propaganda narratives harmful to national interests.Five of the six accused in this group are Indians, while one is Pakistani.In addition, two other individuals, both Indians, are also facing charges for similar offences, the statement added.Earlier on Saturday, a report by the UAE’s official news agency WAM said the public prosecution had begun interrogating the 10 defendants and ordered their remand in custody.Attorney-General Shamsi said such acts constitute offences punishable by imprisonment of at least one year and a minimum fine of AED 100,000.“Such events have been exploited to disseminate misinformation intended to deliberately mislead the public while undermining national security, order and stability,” he said.Shamsi added that some of the accused circulated AI-generated footage falsely suggesting explosions, attacks on prominent landmarks, or massive fires with smoke rising across various parts of the UAE.“The incidents also involved exploiting children’s emotions in videos falsely implying security threats. Other clips claimed the destruction of military facilities within the country or attributed foreign incidents to locations in the UAE, with the aim of misleading public opinion and spreading anxiety,” he said.
