False claim spreads online tying Zohran Mamdani to terrorist group

Right-wing figures in the United States have circulated a false claim connecting New York’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, to Daesh, researchers revealed Thursday.

The fabricated story quickly spread across social media, gaining millions of views and fueling online hate against the city’s first Muslim and South Asian leader.

Mamdani, 34, who won the mayoral race this week, has faced relentless attacks over his religion and political views. The misinformation campaign centered on a fake statement allegedly issued by Daesh under the title “Operation Manhattan Project,” which threatened an attack in New York City on Election Day.

Conservative influencer Laura Loomer, known for her close ties to President Donald Trump, was among those amplifying the hoax. “The Muslims can't think of a better way for the Muslims to celebrate the victory of a Muslim mayoral candidate today than by committing an ISIS attack in NYC,” Loomer wrote in a post on X that drew over 200,000 views.

Other right-wing accounts falsely claimed that the extremist group had endorsed Mamdani’s victory. Researchers later confirmed that the supposed Daesh statement was entirely fabricated.

The letter, featuring the logo of the Amaq News Agency, first appeared on 4chan, a far-right message board notorious for conspiracy content. Experts at NewsGuard and the Information Epidemiology Lab said it bore none of the linguistic or stylistic traits typical of real Daesh communications.

“Amaq is used [by Daesh] to share news and claim responsibility for attacks,” explained Meili Criezis, an academic at American University. “It doesn't make threats like what is stated in the screenshot.”

Mamdani, a vocal advocate for affordable housing and Palestinian rights, has long condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia. Following his historic win, he has continued to call out racist narratives used to undermine his leadership.