When a Taliban spokesman took to Twitter on Friday to claim credit for an attack, the post included geolocation information that claimed the message was written from Sindh, Pakistan. The next day Zabihullah Mujahid went back to Twitter to say that the whole thing was an “enemy plot” and that he was definitely in Afghanistan.
“My Twitter account has been manipulated—as part of weak efforts of enemy plot, it showed that I am based in Sindh of Pakistan, I call this attempt as fake and shame [sic],” he wrote, according to the BBC. “Now, the enemy’s fake act has been exposed, and with full confidence, I can say that I am in my own country.”
The supposed plot immediately raised eyebrows because Pakistan has often been accused of providing shelter to Taliban leaders. “All geolocation information begins as a location (latitude and longitude), sent from your browser or device,” explains Twitter in its FAQ about the geolocation feature. “Remember, once you post something online, it’s out there for others to see.”
