Police arrested 27-year-old Iman Abdul for allegedly posting a terroristic threat targeting Leon Goldstein High School in Brooklyn, accusing its students of being “Zionists.”
A Brooklyn woman has been arrested after allegedly posting an online threat against a New York City public high school, singling out its Jewish and pro-Israel students.
Iman Abdul, 27, was taken into custody Friday and charged with making a terroristic threat, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated harassment, and making a threat of mass harm, according to the NYPD.
Police say the charges stem from a disturbing Instagram post on Thursday in which Abdul allegedly shared a Google Maps screenshot of Leon Goldstein High School for the Sciences in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, writing:
“If anyone needs a public school in NYC to attack for whatever reason… Lexus driving Israhell loving Zionisits all attend here. They’ve all gone on ‘Birthright.’”
The school, located on the Kingsborough Community College campus, serves a diverse student body but includes a sizable Jewish population, with many families connected to Brooklyn’s Sephardic and Russian-speaking immigrant communities. It operates an Israel club in partnership with a local JCC.
The post quickly drew condemnation from pro-Israel watchdogs such as StopAntisemitism, which warned: “This incitement against Jews, specifically minor children, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The incident echoes a broader trend in which anti-Israel activists have used online maps to “mark” Jewish institutions in the U.S., a tactic widely denounced as dangerous. In November 2023, the radical group Within Our Lifetime published a map of Jewish organizations in NYC under the caption “KNOW YOUR ENEMY.”
Screenshots of Abdul’s post were shared widely, with conservative outlets highlighting her past political ties. The New York Post reported that Abdul had worked on 2018 Democratic primary campaigns for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and State Sen. Julia Salazar — a claim Ocasio-Cortez’s office denied, stating: “This person was never staff on the campaign… Their comments are appalling and we condemn threats of violence without hesitation.”
In an alleged follow-up message, Abdul defended her post as a “verbal attack” on what she called a “Zionist institution,” denying she had called for physical harm against individuals. Her social media accounts have since gone offline.
Abdul pleaded not guilty during her Saturday arraignment. She is due back in court on November 19.
