In the wake of the gruesome Paris terror attacks, the image of a Sikh man appears to have been morphed to show him as a “terrorist”.
The image, which appeared in one of Spain’s biggest newspapers La Razon and is doing the rounds on Twitter, shows a Sikh man with a turban, wearing a suicide vest and holding an iPad made to look like a Quran.
The image has reportedly been created and circulated by Telegram, an app used by one of the largest but unofficial pro-ISIS groups.
On Twitter, a Sikh man named Veerender Jubbal said that he was pained by what had been done to him. He has never been to Paris.
Jubbal is an avid games critic and has attributed the image to supporters of Gamergate, against who he has voiced his opposition in the past.
Gamergate is an online movement aimed at preserving ethics in game journalism but is considered to be pedantic with journalistic ethics.
The newspaper in question has subsequently apologized for its mistake.
Here’s what Jubbal said about the photograph:
I hope everyone has caught up with what is going on with me. I went viral due to a photoshopped image claiming I am a terrorist.
— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 15, 2015
This whole thing puts me in a bad position in the sense, where I could be harmed and/or hurt due to this. This is libel from news, and TV.
— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 15, 2015
This image has been used, and placed on the front page of a major Spain newspaper--putting me as one of the people behind terrorist attacks.
— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 15, 2015
You can all check the last retweets. Let us start with basics. Never been to Paris. Am a Sikh dude with a turban. Lives in Canada.
— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015
Gamers are absolute garbage like I have been saying for a full year. People will not stop harassing, and bothering me. I am cute as gosh.
— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015