Mamdani Hired Staffer Later Arrested For ‘Terrorist Threat’

A woman convicted after threatening Jewish students at a Brooklyn public high school previously worked as a paid canvasser for a 2018 political campaign managed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, according to campaign-finance records.

Iman Abdul canvassed for journalist Ross Barkan’s unsuccessful Democratic campaign for the New York State Senate. Mamdani initially served as the campaign’s field director before becoming its campaign manager.

Seven years later, New York City police arrested Abdul over a social-media post that identified Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences and appeared to encourage an attack against students she characterized as Zionists.

“If anyone needs a public school in NYC to attack for whatever reason … Lexus driving Israhell [sic] loving Zionists [sic] all attend here,” she added in a caption to the now-deleted post.

The historical connection was highlighted by the Washington Free Beacon in August. New York campaign-finance records reportedly show that Team Barkan paid Abdul $540 for canvassing work between July and August 2018.

Post Identified School Attended by Minors

An NYPD spokesperson told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Abdul, then 27, was arrested after allegedly issuing what police described as a “terroristic threat” against the Brooklyn high school.

Her Instagram post reportedly included a Google Maps image identifying the school and language suggesting it as a location to “attack.” The caption also disparaged students for their perceived support of Israel.

Police arrested Abdul on Aug. 8, 2025, on charges that included aggravated harassment, making a threat of mass harm and acting in a manner injurious to a child.

Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences is located on the Kingsborough Community College campus in Brooklyn.

The post sparked swift condemnation because it identified a school attended by minors and appeared to target students based on their perceived connections to Israel and Judaism.

Abdul Pleaded Guilty

Abdul later resolved the criminal case by entering a guilty plea.

According to reporting published in August 2026, she pleaded guilty on Aug. 5 to aggravated harassment as a hate crime, a felony under New York law.

The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the resolution.

Critics accused Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, a progressive Democrat, of granting Abdul a lenient deal that allowed her to avoid incarceration.

Under the agreement, the felony charge would reportedly be reduced to a misdemeanor if Abdul completed 20 counseling sessions, according to reporting from Susan B. Edelman on Substack.

The disposition is likely to fuel broader concerns that New York’s progressive criminal-justice system remains too accommodating toward offenders—even in cases involving threats against children and alleged antisemitic hatred.

Connection Predates Threat by Seven Years

The resurfaced campaign records have renewed scrutiny of Mamdani’s political-organizing history before he entered elected office and eventually became mayor.

Mamdani worked on Khader El-Yateem’s 2017 campaign for the New York City Council before joining Barkan’s state Senate campaign. He later worked on Tiffany Cabán’s 2019 campaign for Queens district attorney.

Barkan unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for a Brooklyn state Senate seat in 2018. He lost the primary to Andrew Gounardes, who subsequently defeated Republican incumbent Marty Golden.

There is no evidence that Mamdani participated in, encouraged or knew about Abdul’s 2025 post. Her work for the Barkan campaign occurred approximately seven years before the threat, and the reporting does not establish an ongoing relationship between Abdul and Mamdani.

The documented connection is limited but politically relevant: Abdul was paid to work for a campaign whose field operation Mamdani helped oversee before taking control as campaign manager.

Mamdani’s Israel Record Faces Renewed Scrutiny

Mamdani has faced persistent criticism over his views on Israel and allegations that his political rhetoric contributes to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish New Yorkers.

The mayor has rejected accusations of antisemitism, arguing that opposition to the Israeli government and support for Palestinian causes should not be equated with hatred toward Jewish people.

He has also said his administration is responsible for protecting Jewish residents from threats, discrimination and hate crimes.

Abdul’s criminal conduct cannot fairly be attributed to Mamdani merely because she briefly worked on a campaign he managed years earlier. Still, the revelation will add to questions surrounding the political circles in which Mamdani built his career and the radical anti-Israel activism that has increasingly gained influence across New York’s progressive movement.