“We are crowdfunding one million dollars as a bounty for the capture of Mohammad Marandi, an adviser to Iran’s leadership and a known IRGC propagandist. We want him alive.”

That is stated in a post from the X account “Terror Alarm,” which has more than 250,000 followers and circulated widely as a paid advertisement.

The post sparked international attention because it appears to encourage the kidnapping of an Iranian commentator — and because X allowed it to spread as sponsored content.

Mohammad Marandi is an Iranian professor and commentator who has appeared in Western media such as BBC and CNN and is known for supporting the Iranian regime.

Speculation has circulated online about whether Israel or the intelligence agency Mossad could be behind the account. The post was later removed following criticism, with “Terror Alarm” claiming Marandi himself had created it to gain attention.

However, research by NORDIS partner fact-checking outlet TjekDet shows that “Terror Alarm” is registered as a Danish association with a Copenhagen address and a Danish CVR number.

The group presents itself as a security organisation using AI to monitor extremist activity and has received donations from pro-Israeli groups, according to its own website.

Legal experts say the fundraising effort would likely be illegal under Danish law, as it could constitute unlawful deprivation of liberty.

Several individuals listed in the association’s documents deny any knowledge of the organisation, and key questions about who is behind “Terror Alarm” remain unanswered.

X did not respond to questions from TjekDet about whether the post complies with its rules.

Find the whole article from TjekDet here.