Islamberg, New York
Hamlet
Nickname: 
Holy Islamberg
Islamberg is located in New York
Islamberg
Islamberg
Location of Islamberg in New York
Coordinates: 42°03′08″N 75°20′06″W / 42.05222°N 75.33500°W / 42.05222; -75.33500
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountyDelaware
TownTompkins
Population
 • Total200

Islamberg (Arabic: إسلامبيرج) is a rural hamlet and religious community in the town of Tompkins, Delaware County, New York, United States.[1]

History

Islamberg was settled by a group of mostly black Muslim families in the 1980s,[2] who sought to escape the troubles of New York City.[3] The group was inspired by Sufi Cleric Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani and sought a more "peaceful and holy Muslim life".[4][5] Islamberg has a population of about 200,[2] along with its own grocery store, bookstore, and school.[3] The community serves as the headquarters of Muslims of America, which seeks to promote an understanding of Islam.[6]

Public safety

Although relations with neighboring communities are cooperative,[5] Islamberg has repeatedly faced threats and persecution originating from false right-wing conspiracy theories spread online.[7] Right-wing groups, such as Info Wars,[8] have claimed that Islamberg is a training center for terrorists, claims which local law enforcement and state police investigators say are untrue.[6]

In November 2015, Jon Ritzheimer, of Phoenix, Arizona, made news for threatening an attack on Islamberg.[9] In June 2017, a Tennessee man, Robert Doggart, was sentenced to almost 20 years in prison for plotting an attack on Islamberg.[10][11] In January 2019, three men and one male minor were arrested for plotting an attack on Islamberg with explosives.[12][13][14] Police found 23 firearms and three homemade bombs that investigators claim were going to be used to attack the hamlet.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ ""Cannonsville Reservoir" 7.5 minute quadrangle". U.S. Geological Survey/ACME Mapper. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Planned Attack On Muslim Community In Upstate New York Disrupted, Police Say". NPR.org. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Islamberg: A Terror Compound in New York ... or Misunderstood Neighbors?". Fox News. March 25, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  4. ^ "Islamberg: A Terror Compound in New York ... or Misunderstood Neighbors?", foxnews.com; accessed May 3, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Laila, Kearney (June 1, 2015). "A tranquil Muslim hamlet in the Catskills - until the attack plot". Reuters. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Novacic, Ines (July 16, 2015). "Muslim enclave in U.S. battles suspicion, alleged threats". cbsnews.com.
  7. ^ Rojas, Rick (January 28, 2019). "They Created a Muslim Enclave in Upstate N.Y. Then Came the Online Conspiracies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  8. ^ Owens, Josh (December 5, 2019). "I Worked for Alex Jones. I Regret It". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  9. ^ Michaud, Chris (November 29, 2015). "Upstate New York town threatened by Arizona man in online post: reports". Reuters. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  10. ^ "Tennessee man sentenced over plot to attack Muslim community", reuters.com, June 15, 2017; accessed Dec 17, 2017.
  11. ^ "America Snores When Christian Terrorist Threatens to Massacre Muslims", thedailybeast.com, May 18, 2015; accessed May 20, 2015.
  12. ^ Thompson, Howard (January 22, 2019). "Court docs: Three men near Rochester charged in bomb plot against Muslim community". WIVB. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  13. ^ WHAM (January 22, 2019). "Police: Four plotted to attack NY Muslim community with IEDs, 23 guns". WKRC. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  14. ^ "Four held over NY 'plot' against Muslims". January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ Folley, Aris (January 23, 2019). "Four arrested in bomb plot targeting Muslim community in New York". The Hill.
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