Fake Images Twist Hamburg Attack Narrative

Last Friday, a distressing incident unfolded at Hamburg's main train station where 18 people were injured in a knife attack. Fifteen individuals suffered stab wounds, while three others sustained different injuries. According to the German news agency dpa, four people had life-threatening injuries but are now reported to be in stable condition.

The individual suspected in the attack is a 39-year-old woman. Hamburg authorities believe she was experiencing a psychological emergency.

Following the attack, a significant emergency operation was launched at Hamburg station, involving police, the fire service, and emergency medical teams.

Police later praised the "rapid intervention" of two bystanders who successfully stopped the woman, disarmed her by taking the knife, and restrained her until authorities arrived to make the arrest, as local media subsequently reported.

A Hero Emerges Amidst Chaos

One of these brave passersby is Muhammad al-Muhammad, a Syrian teenager who arrived in Germany in 2022. As his courageous actions gained media attention, he found himself at the center of a national conversation about immigration, heavily influenced by right-wing media narratives.

The German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel recently featured al-Muhammad in an article. The lead image used for their report, provided by al-Muhammad himself, has since been manipulated and repurposed to spread false information online.

Exploiting Heroism: The Spread of Manipulated Images

'Posts like these echo right-wing sentiments'

The original photograph shows al-Muhammad in Berlin, standing before the Brandenburg Gate. Online users have taken his image and superimposed it onto backgrounds depicting locations like Washington D.C. or Moscow.

These manipulated images are often accompanied by sarcastic comments such as, "the peace talks [between Russia and Ukraine] can now begin, thanks to Muhammad al-Muhammad," implying that media coverage of his heroism has been excessively positive.

A special by a German news magazine ran an image of Muhammad al-Muhammad standing in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. Image: www.spiegel.de

Expert Insight: Why a Syrian Hero Became a Target

Una Titz, a media expert at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, an organization dedicated to combating right-wing extremism and racism, provided insight into these actions.

"The fact that a Syrian person is the savior [in this story] doesn't fit the worldview in which refugees, and especially Syrian refugees, are equated with violent assailants and knife attacks," Titz explained to DW. "The goal of posts like this is to echo right-wing, populist sentiments."

The German tabloid Bild also published an image of Muhammad al-Muhammad, which was subsequently manipulated and circulated to disseminate false information.

These posts have not only expressed scorn or disbelief regarding his courageous act but have also sown public uncertainty about the veracity of the reported facts.

AI-Generated Fakes Add Layers of Deception

'How did you do it?'

While some photo montages, typically showing al-Muhammad in front of famous cultural landmarks, are easily identifiable as fakes, others are far more convincing.

One such widely circulated image is an AI-generated montage that mimics the original photo of al-Muhammad at the Brandenburg Gate.

The manipulated version depicts a young man, bearing a striking resemblance to al-Muhammad, seemingly at a bustling German train station.

However, closer inspection reveals discrepancies: the young man's face is wider than al-Muhammad's, his features are smoother, the logo on his jacket appears distorted, as does the writing on a display board in the background. The faces of people behind him also appear somewhat disproportionate.

The image shot by the German tabloid Bild (seen left), was later manipulated online to appear to depict al-Muhammad in front on a number of cultural landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower in Maris (seen right). Image: www.bild.de | X

Ostensibly, this image aims to portray al-Muhammad at the scene of the crime, Hamburg's main train station. Instead, it has made users unsure about the actual sequence of events. One X account commented: "His hair is perfect, his [hooded sweater] is the same, his biceps have shrunk — all overnight. How did you do it, presslets?"

The term "presslet" is a derogatory term for the press, intended to imply inexperience and unreliable reporting. This post had garnered over 600,000 views at the time of reporting.

Although established media outlets refrained from using this AI-generated image of al-Muhammad, the fake image still succeeded in discrediting media and accusing them of falsifying accounts.

Consequently, many online users became more inclined to doubt Muhammad al-Muhammad's very existence, his pivotal role in the Hamburg knife attack, or the accuracy of media portrayals.

Media expert Titz, who also specializes in how mis- and disinformation undermine democracy, notes that such discrediting of the press introduces a conspiratorial element to the event's aftermath.

This claims to depict Muhammad al-Muhammad but it does not. There a several tell-tale signs that give away that this image was generated with the help of AI. Image: X

"It doesn't only spread distrust and foment insecurity," Titz explained. "We're familiar with this from peoples' faith in so-called 'psyops' [psychological operations] in the US. There, some people are convinced that the moon landing or certain attacks were myths, invented by the CIA."

The Dangerous Impact: Eroding Trust and Spreading Doubt

When authorities and media lose credibility

The right-wing German tabloid exxtra24 amplified this messaging, implying that al-Muhammad is not a real person. They questioned, "Why do current police reports not mention Muhammad al-Muhammad, even though police apparently treated him to 'a cappuccino as a reward'?"

This question refers to the Spiegel report, where al-Muhammad told reporters that police had bought him a coffee after arresting the suspect, as a thank you for his role.

DW's fact-checking team contacted the Hamburg police for clarification. They responded that "it is absolutely common practice for witnesses, victims, suspects, etcetera, to not be named, on principle, in police reports to the press. An individual's rights to personal dignity, privacy and identity, which a law enforcement agency must uphold at all times, are the basis for this practice."

Authorities Respond: Clarifying Facts Amidst Disinformation

The police also confirmed that, to their knowledge, one of the passersby mentioned in their reports was indeed named Muhammad al-Muhammad.

This campaign of disinformation surrounding the young man concerns Titz. "It creates a climate of uncertainty, in which reality is increasingly called into question," she explained. "So, in parallel to the empirically established facts, which journalists researched well, we see more and more alternative realities and accounts emerge."