Thread by @misterzedpk

DISINFORMATION ALERT: An Indian-origin sock-puppet account posing as a Muslim lady 'Azeema' posted a misleading, amateurly-manufactured video targeting the Pakistan Army leadership by exploiting the branding of @BBCNews [Source: archive.vn/v6lEu] [Thread]

@BBCNews Observation: The word "quite" was used instead of "quiet" (spelling mistake). Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Possessive form of expression not used (major grammatical shortcoming). Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Logos of a few defunct Pakistani channels were used as a collective representative image. Surely the @BBCNews has proper research instead of this lousy attempt. Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Incorrect rank of Major General Asif Ghafoor is mentioned, inappropriate for mainstream media corporations. Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Wrong spelling of "believed". Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Wrong spelling of "hierarchy". Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observations: Wrong spelling of "powerful", missing hyphenation ("all-powerful"). Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews Observation: Ironically, the fake video with English-language subtitles ends with a monogram proclaiming production by @BBCUrdu (#fakenews). Source: Fake Video

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu You can access the archived copy of the fake Indian-origin video here: https://anonymousfiles[dot]io[slash]Zu63IJ0u

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu The video originator "azeema_1" joined Twitter on the 3rd of September 2019 and mentions two apparent locations: Baramulla (IOJ&K) and New Delhi.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Online activity trends mapped month-wise.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Most RT'ed users (highlights): Own acct (repeated amplifying of propaganda for more traction, standard tactic among sock-puppet accounts), anti-Pak propagandist Tarek Fatah and his daughter Natasha, Republic News of India (Indian establishment mouthpiece) and Naila Inayat.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Most mentioned users (tagged/ highlights): Anti-Pak propagandist Tarek Fatah, Major (Retd) Gaurav Arya of Indian Army (Republic TV employee and establishment mouthpiece), Anis Farooqui and Tahir Aslam Gora of anti-Pak propaganda machine TAG TV

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu All 1,415 tweets by the Indian-origin disinformation handle "azeema_1" have been archived here:

https://anonymousfiles[dot]io[slash]KhitCpAX/

Summary of Content (takeaways): Targeting Pak PM and military leadership, amplifying pro-BJP propaganda.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu This handle is part of a grouped list curated by an unofficial handle of BJP purportedly representing "Pakistan-occupied" Jammu & Kashmir. Other list members include BJP officials and known anti-Pakistan propagandists. Video evidence attached.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Archived record of 2,987 tweets which were 'liked' by the disinformation handle "azeema_1" can be accessed here:

https://anonymousfiles[dot]io[slash]SfHQpGE3/

Pro-BJP propaganda among those 'liked'.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Some evidence of being pro-BJP (see attached).

Link 1: archive.vn/WBKfX
Link 2: archive.vn/GmmWQ

Former head of BJP Social Media Team Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (currently BJP Delhi spokesperson) among prominent individuals tagged.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Snapshot of recently-liked ('favourited') tweets.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Indian Army Major General (Retd) Harsha Kakar promoted the fake @bbcnews video within minutes of posting by disinfo handle "azeema_1" with certainty of being a @bbcnews product (Source: archive.vn/1l4Yl). He also implied BBC is working for Pakistan's agenda.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Indian Army Major General (Retd) Harsha Kakar is a former Artillery officer (commissioned June 1979) who super-annuated in March 2015; a known commentator for the Indian establishment.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Further investigations reveal that this concocted/ fake @BBCNews video was first distributed on 20th Jan @ 5:19pm GMT by handle "levina_neythiri" who further claimed it was "forwarded" by "1kehkelunga" (Source: archive.vn/7wKDd).

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Firstly, an analysis of "levina_neythiri". She's a real person, a lady who describes herself as a "geopolitical analyst". Apparently, she is the founder of resonantnews[dot]com

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu On 13th Jan, Levina published a commentary on her website claiming that Pakistan Army is undergoing dissent. Her entire report was based on tweets by Gul Bukhari (Source: archive.vn/QD9Ii).

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu Levina's 'report' for Resonant News (owned) was formally cited and distributed en-masse by Delhi-based Asian News Intl (@ANI). Yahoo India (@yahooindia) and Business Standard (@bsindia) re-published this content.
Link 1: archive.vn/YdKop
Link 2: archive.vn/t62RV

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia Resonant News website was previously a Wordpress blog operated by Levina in individual capacity, called "indianbirdie". Source: The (for some) dreaded Google cache.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia The domain name for Resonant News was created on 22nd December 2019 just almost a month ago (re-directing from "indianbirdie[dot]wordpress[dot]com". And yet, surprisingly, it was given undue weightage by ANI for mass distribution.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia Domain IP analysis confirms re-direction from Levina's personal blog.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia Content analysis of Levina's tweets indicate she's a staunch supporter of the BJP in general and Narendra Modi in particular. She's included in several bhakt lists on Twitter (see attached samples).

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia Levina also runs the @Facebook page "Indian Defence" (facebook.com/indiandefencec…) which has more than 2,800,000+ followers. Info acquired through hints shared on her Twitter profile and also a post from Resonant News shared on the page.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia @Facebook Moving on to handle "1kehkelunga". The user joined in Feb 2019. Mostly interacts with and promotes Levina Neythiri, Indian Army Major (Retd) Gaurav Arya and Major (Retd) Surendra Poonia and Pak-origin dissidents.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia @Facebook Most-used hashtags by "1kehkelunga" include those aimed at discrediting the State of Pakistan to the benefit of Indian security establishment's viewpoint.

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia @Facebook Content analysis and online behaviour of "1kehkelunga" indicates affinity for Narendra Modi and criticism of Pakistan. Archived records:

Tweets: https://anonymousfiles[dot]io[slash]62ivkgrz/

Liked (favourited) tweets: https://anonymousfiles[dot]io[slash]1xubeQ29/

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia @Facebook In the wake of info collected through open sources, it is confirmed that Indian-origin Twitter handles "azeema_1", "LevinaNeythiri", "1kehkelunga" and "kakar_harsha" are involved in a coordinated campaign to misuse @BBCNews branding for disinformation.
Cc: @Twitter @pid_gov

@BBCNews @BBCUrdu @ANI @YahooIndia @bsindia @Facebook @Twitter @pid_gov @threadreaderapp unroll