With just days to go before the Indy 500, state police are addressing misinformation targeting a local Muslim nonprofit.
On the afternoon of May 21, an X account belonging to a group that calls itself an Indianapolis-based “independent media” outlet posted that the Indiana State Police had confirmed was investigating the Islamic Society of North America’s headquarters in Plainfield over a planned “bio weapon attack against Americans at the Indy500.”
ISP quickly rebuked the claim. “We have no credible information related to the claim made below, and HAVE NOT confirmed anything of the sort,” the agency posted on X just after 4 p.m.
Crystal Habib, the communications and marketing coordinator for ISNA, unequivocally denied the outlet’s claims. She said ISNA has requested an increased police presence in the wake of a shooting earlier this week at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which is being investigated as an anti-Muslim hate crime.
The outlet, which purports to “bring news to you while other outlets suppress from the public,” published earlier on May 21 that ISNA is a “shadowy Muslim compound” hiding a bio-lab and underground crematorium, citing only anonymous sources.
Those allegations are also completely false, Habib said.
“This is so heartbreaking,” Habib said. “This is awful.”
The phone number listed on the outlet’s website was out of service, and a request for comment via email had not received a response at the time of publication.
Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter at IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: ISP debunks false ‘bio weapon’ claim before Indy 500
Reporting by Ryan Murphy, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
