60-year-old man reportedly arrested for filming footage of Iranian missiles

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60-year-old man reportedly arrested for filming footage of Iranian missiles

The UK tourist has been held by authorities in Dubai

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The ongoing conflict between the USA, Israel, and Iran continues to rage on, with the latter launching counterattacks in the aftermath of February 28's Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion.

After the USA and Israel targeted the Iranian military and government sites in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, Iran struck back with hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel and US military bases.

Following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran's bombardment struck multiple countries throughout the Persian Gulf region, with continued concerns about it cutting off oil supplies from the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump has warned that the USA will continue to bring "death, fire, and fury" against Iran unless it surrenders its nuclear program, while viral footage has shown 'apocalyptic' scenes as attacks on Iranian oil facilities have caused black rain to fall from the sky.

Elsewhere in the world, Dubai has been hit especially hard. With tourists and residents alike keen to show the rest of the globe exactly what's going on, they're now warned that filming the devastation could get you in some serious trouble.

Tourists in Dubai are warned about sharing footage of strikes on social media (- / Contributor / Getty)
Tourists in Dubai are warned about sharing footage of strikes on social media (- / Contributor / Getty)

As reported by The Telegraph, a 60-year-old man from the United Kingdom has been arrested in Dubai after he attempted to film Iran's missile strikes. The outlet simply says that the unnamed man from London was seen filming missiles at the time of his arrest, although it's unknown if that footage ever made it to social media.

He was being held at Bur Dubai police station after being taken into custody on March 9.

Radha Stirling, the chief executive of campaign group Detained in Dubai, confirmed that she was assisting the man's family as he continues to be held in Dubai.

The arrest comes as authorities in the United Arab Emirates have reiterated that posting footage of the conflict could land tourists behind bars due to the Gulf state's strict cybercrime laws.

Commenting on regional conflicts, government policy, or matters of security on social media can be viewed as a criminal offense.

Anything that could be considered harmful to 'public order', 'national unity', or a state's reputation under cybercrime laws can result in fines of up to $77,000 and two years in prison. If convicted under national security, even longer sentences could be imposed.


Discussing the man's situation, Stirling explained: “Yes, authorities have given these warnings, but when you’re there and everyone else seems to be sharing these photos, a lot of people are just going to forget or get caught up in everything.

“Everyone’s got their phone and their camera out. People are just being a bit negligent. They don’t understand that it’s very serious – that they could go to prison there.”

She's adamant that authorities are being 'hypersensitive' in thinking that members of the general public are 'Iranian spies', adding: "I think it’s twofold. Number one, they don’t want instant intelligence going back to Iran and going to Russia, and people who are going to pass it on to Iran whether their missile hits have been successful or not."

Instead, she suggests this is to project the country's reputation and to stop social media from "casting a dark shadow over Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the next five years, 10 years as people look at these and think ‘oh, it’s really not safe'."

As Stirling concludes that it's "PR more than anything," the man hasn't been charged and could still be released without any action.

Featured Image Credit: ATTA KENARE / Contributor via Getty