Saudi says Qatar setup Twitter campaign to create regional unrest

Saudi Arabia has accused Qatar of operating over 23,000 Twitter accounts to “stoke strike and a revolt in the Kingdom”.

Describing the revelation as “a matter of national security”, Saudi Information Minister, Awwad Saleh Al-Awwad, was reported to have said during a visit to Paris: “We found over 23,000 Twitter accounts driven by Qatar, some of them linked to accounts calling for ‘revolution’ in Saudi Arabia,”

A-Awwad went on to describe Al Jazeera as “a platform for terrorism, starting from Bin Laden to Al-Qaradawi”. He called for the channel to be shut down and for those working for it to be held accountable.

Saudi authorities are said to have found over 23,000 fake Twitter accounts that can traced back to Qatar. They believe that the accounts were used to create divisions and discord, sow doubts and encourage a rebellion against the ruling authorities.

Read: Gulf crisis chance to influence Saudi and Qatar

In a statement to MEMO, Saif Al Thani from the government communications office in Qatar, said: “There is no truth to these accusations. They are attempting to distract from the fact that they started an illegal blockade under false pretences, and they are the ones sowing hate in the region.”

The other side knows that Qatar does not control social media and we allow our citizens to speak freely on these platforms. Their statements and actions are nothing but an excuse for them to further control social media within their country

he added.

While Saudi raises concerns over Qatari interference, others have pointed out that it is likely that real people have taken to social media to defend Qatar.

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23,000 new accounts may have been created, but it's likely real people taking to SM to defend Qatar.

— Stephen Lee 🐦 (@StephenWLee) July 6, 2017

Some joked: “If Qatar created 23,000 accounts then KSA and the UAE created many more. By the way it is easy to spot fake accounts on Twitter”

https://twitter.com/3aber12345/status/883023749590667269

Comments by the information minster follows stringent attempts by the blockading countries headed by Saudi Arabia, clamping down on its citizens who are displaying support for Qatar on social media.

Read: The Saudi war of words on Qatar

This revelation comes on the back of a report highlighting the wide scale use of “twitter bots” in the region. It involves the creation of fake Twitter accounts that are programmed to post tweets in Arabic at pre-determined intervals. “One aim of the tweets,” according to the author, “is to create an impression that Gulf regimes enjoy tremendous support from their loyal citizens; another is to encourage sectarianism amongst Sunni Muslims, directed at Shia Muslims and Iran.”

“The bulk of this activity, though by no means all of it,” concludes the report “is associated with Saudi Arabia. Though clearly organised by government supporters, it may or may not be a government-run project”.