LONDON: The London Police has confirmed that it has warned a private London hospital manager for threatening a Pakistani reporter who was working on a fake accounts operations run from London for blackmailing in Pakistan.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has said that London-based Pakistani Waseem Ahmed Abbasi has been running fake accounts from London for blackmailing and harassment to extort benefits.
The name of North London Hospice employee and Shops Manager Waseem Abbasi came up in a report by the FIA’s Cyber Crime Unit in which another accomplice of his accepted before the cyber crime wing that Waseem Ahmed Abbasi of West London Hospice operated fake accounts for blackmailing to target a family for personal benefit.
When journalist Hamza Saleemm asked Waseem Ahmed questions about his links, he didn’t deny running fake accounts but issued threats to him and warned him of consequences. The journalist received calls of warning which he has reported to the police. In one call from a private number, the journalist was threatened with physical harm.
A spokesman of London police said that its investigating the case. The spokesman said that the police called Waseem Ahmed Abbassi and warned him not to call Pakistani journalist against or he will be arrested for issuing threats. North London Hospice refused to comment when asked about its employee.
According to details the FIA started its investigation after a Karachi based female journalist was called over to the FIA’s Karachi Office for questioning about a number of defamatory social media posts about a few individuals and a business group of Karachi.
It was suspected that the journalist was involved in running the fake accounts but during the investigation the journalist, who cannot be named for legal reasons as there is an on-going case against her, confirmed that the journalist was involved in running the defamatory material but also told the investigators that North London Hospice employee Waseem Ahmed Abbasi was owners of the accounts and invited others to take part, using his own number first and then later on using social media through VPN to hide his true identity while using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
In her recorded statement, the female journalist told the investigators that Waseem Abbasi was involved to run the fake accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. “Twitter and Instagram accounts belong to Waseem Abbasi,” she told the FIA confirming that Waseem Abbasi was Waseem Ahmed Abbasi was involved in cyber bullying, identity theft and harassment.
The FIA report said: “These accounts are violating cybercrime laws and are in branch of Pakistani laws and carry potential criminal punishment. He (Waseem Abbasi) is residing in London as per statement received.”
Waseem Abbasi, when asked to comment, dismissed all allegations as “baseless” but didn’t deny that he has been running a campaign of harassment and blackmailing using fake Twitter accounts from London.
“I live in the UK so they should start investigation here, I don’t come under Pakistan’s jurisdictions.”
It is pertinent to note Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Authority have successfully worked with Interpol in the past in bringing charges against international felons through international extradition. The maximum charge for cyber-crime, harassment and bullying in Pakistan is up to 20 years imprisonment with a $1 million fine.
Waseem Ahmed Abbasi, a former stockbroker in Pakistan, launched a business which aimed to charge struggling freelancers to work together in coffee shops by the name of Hub Inspired Ltd. The company didn’t take off and currently shows assets of £302 with liabilities of £1200 giving a NET worth of -£918. In addition due to not filing mandatory returns and accounts a petition has been filed by the authorities to strike off the company.
