Cyber Crimes Unit cracks down on "Israeli" propaganda inciting division in Jordan

The Public Security Directorate's (PSD) Cyber Crimes Unit recently monitored social media posts that incited discord and sectarian tensions, undermining national unity in Jordan.

In response, the PSD issued a stern statement announcing the tracking of such content across platforms and the arrest of several individuals involved, who will be referred to the judiciary.

Read more: Jordan cracks down on online users “sowing discord, division”

Senator and security expert Ammar Qudah told Roya News that this has created tensions within Jordanian society.

Qudah stated that the Cyber Crimes Unit is investigating fake accounts operated by both Jordanians and non-Jordanians, with those in Jordan facing legal action due to connections with the Israeli Occupation or other Arab entities. He emphasized that these accounts aim to incite discord and hatred in Jordanian society, risking chaos and potential violence.

Qudah referenced Article 17 of the Cyber Crimes Law of 2023, which punishes those who intentionally incite discord and hatred on social media with imprisonment of one to three years and fines ranging from JD5,000 to JD20,000. He noted that inciting discord attracts individuals with weak morals.

Qudah revealed evidence of Israeli Occupation's collusion in spreading discord online. He identified several accounts linked to Unit 8200 of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), aimed at infiltrating Jordanian and Arab society to incite divisions. These accounts have targeted His Majesty King Abdullah II, Queen Rania, and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II.

Qudah called for unity among all Jordanian society's segments, urging them to rally behind the Hashemite leadership and state institutions. He noted that these accounts sought to diminish Jordan's support for the Palestinian cause, particularly regarding the Gaza genocide. He stressed the difference between solidarity and meddling in Jordanian societal affairs, affirming that Jordan has permitted peaceful demonstrations nationwide.

He stated, "Jordan is the land of steadfastness and will remain a thorn in the side of anyone attempting to undermine its security."

Qudah refrained from disclosing the number of monitored accounts but assured that the authorities would continue surveillance, whether by apprehending those responsible or identifying their locations outside the Kingdom. The PSD noted that numerous fake pages were created to incite tensions and urged citizens not to engage with or share their content.

The spokesperson for the PSD emphasized that there would be no tolerance for attempts to incite discord and that legal action would be taken against anyone trying to undermine national unity.

- Continuous attacks on Jordan -

Since the onset of the Gaza genocide on Oct. 7, 2023, and Jordan's declaration of support for Gaza, various Zionist committees launched attacks against Jordanian positions.

In the first 50 days of the aggression, these committees issued over 60,000 posts on social media, questioning Jordan's efforts and calling for discord among its people.

The data consulting firm Makana 360 monitored every mention of Jordan in Hebrew or other languages. By tracking the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of accounts promoting anti-Jordan content, it became evident that some accounts were operated by Indian committees hired by "Israelis" to disseminate content that supports the Zionist narrative.

The CEO and founder of Makana 360, Abdurrahman Al-Husami, noted that 89 percent of the monitored posts contained hate speech against Jordan and its leadership, while only 11 percent discussed Jordan's positions on the Gaza situation.

Attacks intensified whenever Jordan took a stance against the Israeli Occupation, with a 70 percent increase following the Kingdom's decision not to sign a water-for-electricity agreement with "Israel".