MEA refutes viral claim of ‘Indian’ detained in Saudi Arabia as Israeli spy

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rejected as baseless a viral social media claim alleging that an Indian national was detained in Saudi Arabia for being an Israeli spy. The misleading post, shared by an account named 'Amoxicillin' on X, claimed Saudi authorities arrested two Mossad agents, including an Indian.

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday flagged a social media post that was circulating widely online and spreading false information about the alleged detention of an Indian national in Saudi Arabia for being an Israeli spy.

The claim, shared on the social media platform X, asserted that Saudi authorities had arrested two agents linked to Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, including an Indian national, accusing them of plotting bomb attacks intended to frame Iran.

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Rejecting the claim as baseless, the MEA issued a clarification and urged people to remain cautious about such misinformation circulating online.

“Please stay alert against such preposterous and unsubstantiated claims on social media!” the ministry said while addressing the viral post.

The claim forms part of a broader wave of misinformation linked to the ongoing tensions in West Asia. The specific allegation that an Indian national was detained in Saudi Arabia for involvement in such a conspiracy has not been supported by any credible evidence or confirmation from official sources, a government official said.

The misleading information originated from an account on X operating under the name ‘Amoxicillin’, which posted the claim about the supposed arrest of the two alleged Mossad agents.

The said account has a long record of sharing politically aligned content, often promoting narratives supportive of the Congress party while circulating unverified information.

The account frequently posts messages praising Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, highlighting his political statements, captioning them with praises for the Congress leader.

In several posts, the account has also portrayed Rahul Gandhi’s remarks as sharp criticisms of what it describes as “Sanghis”, an expression commonly used online to refer to supporters of the BJP, the RSS, or other right-wing political groups.

At the same time, the account often shares posts mocking or attacking the BJP and its supporters, frequently using terms like “Sanghi ecosystem” or “bhakts” in its commentary.

Meanwhile, the MEA’s clarification comes as authorities continue to warn citizens about the increasing spread of misinformation on social media, particularly during periods of heightened international tension, when unverified claims can quickly gain traction online.