Sikh Canadian's photoshopped image goes viral as that of suspected Paris bomber

Such was the virality of the image that a Spanish newspaper even put it on its front page

The Paris attacks last week claimed a most unusual victim, and virtual at that. Veerender Jubbal, a Sikh Canadian, realised that a picture of his had gone viral after it was tweeted as that of one of the Paris attackers. 

The image got retweeted and a pro-ISIS channel on the Telegram app carried it proudly ‘One Islamic State attacker in #ParisAttacks was a Sikh convert to Islam.’ The image then get heavily retweeted, and started trending across the world. 

Thankfully, some users were quick to spot the discrepancies between the selfie of an iPad-toting Jubbal in his bathroom, and the Quran-holding alleged terrorist. 

 

That’s an iPad, not a Quran, and the Dastar (turban) is worn by Sikhs. pic.twitter.com/xkKzJ0G65f

— Grasswire Fact Check (@grasswirefacts) November 14, 2015

But it may have come too late. A Spanish newspaper took the picture and used it on its front page as an image of one of the Paris suicide bombers. 

News paper report

@Veeren_Jubbal Hi, you have appeared in the cover of a major Spanish newspaper as a terrorist. pic.twitter.com/Mbwcgj1TlG

— Jordi Rico (@JordiRico) November 15, 2015

A response from a twitter user

Portraying @Veeren_Jubbal as a terrorist puts his life at risk, ruins his reputation. This is online terrorism. pic.twitter.com/U5bJYCnIsC

— Amy (@AmyStephen) November 15, 2015

Jubbal, who has been sparring with supporters of a gamer movement called Gamergate for a year, suspects he was the victim of the online gaming community, against whom he has spoken out against in the past. In any case, he went into a Twitter frenzy to expose the lie with a series of comments, including one in which he described himself as ‘valuable’ and ‘rad’. 

Responses from Veerender Jubbal

Thank you very much to BuzzFeed, people from Spain bringing up the news, and others leaving kind/considerate messages. Strange situation.

— 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

People are editing, and photoshopping my selfies as if I am one of the people causing the issues/problems in Paris.

— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015

Learn the difference between me being a Sikh, and a Muslim. Cry in mug, while I use your tears to water my garden. I am valuable, and rad.

— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 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

Well, just got a phone call from a cousin in India, and they know about it; and saw the whole thing in India Times. We might sue, I guess.

— Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 15, 2015

He did not leave the online gaming community, mentioning them as the likely source of his troubles. 

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