Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have arrested ten people of various nationalities, including Pakistani citizens, for sharing videos of air defence systems intercepting projectiles amid recent regional tensions. Officials said some clips were genuine, while others were allegedly AI-generated, depicting explosions or attacks on landmarks.
The crackdown highlights the UAE’s strict measures against online content that could incite panic or expose security operations. Officials warned that distributing such material, whether authentic or fabricated, endangers public safety and could be exploited by hostile media outlets to distort facts.
Those detained include nationals from Pakistan, Egypt, the Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Nepal, and India. They remain in custody while the Public Prosecution conducts interrogations and investigates the cases. UAE law stipulates that spreading misinformation threatening national security can lead to at least one year in prison and fines starting from 100,000 dirhams.
The arrests were ordered by UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, who directed that the cases be sent to urgent trial. Authorities said the action followed continuous monitoring of online platforms after misinformation began circulating rapidly during regional developments.
Investigators found that some of the posts contained genuine footage of air defence intercepts, debris from projectiles, and crowds watching the events unfold. However, other content included manipulated or entirely fabricated clips, reportedly created using artificial intelligence, showing explosions, fires, or strikes on landmarks, sometimes using imagery involving children to exaggerate threats.
The UAE government has urged residents, visitors, and expatriates to refrain from filming or sharing security-related incidents, emphasizing that even seemingly harmless clips shared privately on apps like WhatsApp can be treated as violations of national security law.
