Muslim and Pakistani-American community members in Nassau County say a fake Instagram account is targeting County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s administration and Muslim members of his team with an online smear campaign, according to an article circulating in the community.
The account, operating under the name “Muslim Audits,” uses a profile image of an unidentified woman wearing a hijab and presents itself as a grassroots representative of local Muslim interests. Community members quoted in the article, by local writer Farooq Mirza, say it is a ghost handle run by anonymous actors to spread disinformation and divide neighbors along ethnic and religious lines. That claim has not been independently verified.
The account has posted attacks on Blakeman and on figures in his administration and advisory circle, including Chaudhry Akram, an advisor to the county executive; Shahryar (Sheryar) Ali, an attorney; Own Naqvi, director of community affairs; businessman Mohsin Shah; and community activists Dr. Ijaz Ahmed and Asim Malik, according to the article. One graphic it posted urged residents not to vote for Ali, accusing local leaders of complicity in foreign conflicts. The Halal Guide, a community organization owned by Raza Dastgir, was also targeted, the article said.
Community members rejected the account’s claims, pointing to what they described as Blakeman’s supportive relationship with Muslim residents, including mosque visits, county venue space for religious and cultural events, and appointments such as Naqvi, Akram and Ali to community-affairs roles. Community members have asked local law enforcement to look into the account, according to the article.
Blakeman, a Republican, is the Nassau County executive and lost the governor’s race to Kathy Hochul on November 3. In September, Muslim residents pressed North Hempstead town officials to condemn a Blakeman social media post mocking Governor Kathy Hochul for wearing a hijab during a mosque visit, local media reported.
JBizNews Desk | Mineola, New York
© JBizNews.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution is strictly prohibited.
