FBI: Anti-Muslim Activist Could Be Headed For NY Muslim Community

The FBI issued a warning to New York police that anti-Muslim activist Jon Ritzheimer could be headed their way, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

Police were put on alert after Ritzheimer posted a threatening video online on Nov. 18 warning he was headed east to “see those assholes who called me a f—— terrorist,” according to the Daily News.

The newspaper reported that Ritzheimer was referring to the organization Muslims of America, which called Ritzheimer an “American Taliban” in a recent issue of its newspaper, The Islamic Post.

“F–k you Muslims. We’re gonna stop at virtually every mosque along the way, flip them off and tell them to get f—–,” Ritzheimer said in the video, according to the Daily News. The video, which has since been taken down, also reportedly included Ritzheimer showing off a handgun.

The Muslims of America are located in the village of Hancock, New York, which is nicknamed “Islamberg.” An ex-congressional candidate in Tennessee, Robert Doggart, was charged earlier this year with plotting to enlist militia members to burn down buildings in the Muslim hamlet.

An FBI spokesperson told the Daily News that the agency notified authorities of Ritzheimer’s video because it “could have been perceived as threatening against the Muslim community in Hancock, N.Y.”

Ritzheimer has a long history of dishing out anti-Muslim vitriol and making threats. He is well known for staging the anti-Muslim rallies like the “Draw Muhammad” cartoon competition in Phoenix. TPM reported earlier this year that Ritzheimer launched a $10 million fundraising campaign after that rally to protect his family or else run against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). He also made threats to arrest Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) “for treason” because she supported the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran. His plan was to arrest any lawmaker who voted for the bill.