Police arrest woman for spreading false terror warnings in Malaga

THE National Police has arrested a woman accused of creating an audio message warning of the presence of terrorists in Malaga.

The woman, aged 42, was detained for public disorder after she broadcasted the message through WhatsApp last Friday. The message warned that two suspected jihadist terrorists were in Malaga and quoted information from an alleged police investigation at a hotel where the narrator was employed.

After the audio was broadcast through WhatsApp, it quickly gained traction on social media networks and caused panic among civilians. It also provoked the police investigation, who arrested the woman responsible for spreading the fake news as soon as they discovered that the information was in fact false.

The woman faces up to a year in jail or fines for creating unnecessary panic after fabricating the story and wasting the time of police officers.

The National Police recommends that citizens do not spread information that does not come from official sources.