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Manchester families 'targeted with hoax paedophilia accusations' Manchester families 'targeted with hoax paedophilia claims'
(about 2 hours later)
Asian families in Greater Manchester have allegedly been targeted by an American woman who lured armed police to their homes by claiming that they were abusing and murdering hostages. An American woman allegedly lured armed police to the homes of Asian families in Greater Manchester by claiming they were abusing children.
In a campaign that lasted for more than a year, the families were allegedly falsely accused of being paedophiles, child murderers and violent criminals and faced repeated police raids. In a campaign that lasted for more than a year, the woman allegedly created fake profiles to stalk the families online and falsely accused them of being paedophiles and child killers.
The woman, who has now been charged with cyber harassment in the US, allegedly created fake profiles to stalk them online. She is accused of so-called ‘swatting’ – a bizarre means of harassment where internet trolls make false reports to the police in the hope of luring armed officers to victims’ homes. A suspect has been charged with cyber harassment in the US. Nibah Gazi, 40, from New Jersey, is accused of “swatting” – where internet trolls make false reports to the police in the hope of getting armed officers sent to victims’ homes.
Named for the Specialist Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team that often respond to the calls in the US, the technique has resulted in hundreds of false accusations against innocent people around the world.
Swatting is an extreme 21st century successor to prank calling.Swatting is an extreme 21st century successor to prank calling.
Many of the “swat” calls come from online gamers, who watch the reactions of their victims in real time, via live streaming software.Many of the “swat” calls come from online gamers, who watch the reactions of their victims in real time, via live streaming software.
In 2009, Mathew Weigman, then 19, was sentenced for more than 11 years over a swatting conspiracy.In 2009, Mathew Weigman, then 19, was sentenced for more than 11 years over a swatting conspiracy.
His first swatting offense was in 2004 when, aged 14, he convinced a police unit to descend onto the home of a girl who refused to have phone sex with him, claiming people were being held hostage.His first swatting offense was in 2004 when, aged 14, he convinced a police unit to descend onto the home of a girl who refused to have phone sex with him, claiming people were being held hostage.
There was also a brief craze in 2007 of swatting celebrities. Victims included Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Simon Cowell and Charlie Sheen.There was also a brief craze in 2007 of swatting celebrities. Victims included Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, Simon Cowell and Charlie Sheen.
The most high profile case involved Californian man Tyler Barriss. He is accused of making a hoax emergency call that resulted in a fatal police shooting in Kansas in December 2017.The most high profile case involved Californian man Tyler Barriss. He is accused of making a hoax emergency call that resulted in a fatal police shooting in Kansas in December 2017.
In April 2017 Robert McDaid, became the first Briton to be charged by police over the craze. He is alleged to have called a terrorism hotline in the US state of Maryland posing as a man called Tyran Dobbs.In April 2017 Robert McDaid, became the first Briton to be charged by police over the craze. He is alleged to have called a terrorism hotline in the US state of Maryland posing as a man called Tyran Dobbs.
Dobbs’ home was raided and police shot him with rubber bullets causing significant injuries to his face and chest.Dobbs’ home was raided and police shot him with rubber bullets causing significant injuries to his face and chest.
Couples, their children and grandparents in Manchester were woken in the middle of the night by officers with guns after false accusations were allegedly made in calls to police. One couple, their children and parents in Manchester were woken in the middle of the night by officers with guns after false accusations were allegedly made in calls to police.
The caller is accused of researching details of her victims’ lives on social media and then using them to wage a campaign of hate, abuse and false allegations from her home in the US. She allegedly created fake internet profiles as well as making hoax 999 calls. Rangzib Nazir, 51, a music promoter from Oldham, told the Manchester Evening News he had been subjected to months of abuse. He said he was first contacted in December last year by someone who said they were interested in booking some acts for an event in the US.
A woman in the US has now been charged following allegations she was behind the bogus 999 calls, which prompted armed police to raid a family home in Oldham twice. He said the woman suggested it would be “fun” to put cameras in the room to secretly record the young acts. When Nazir told her he wanted nothing more to do with the booking, she is said to have vowed to “destroy” him.
Nibah Gazi, 40, from New Jersey, is accused of “continually, over the last several months” waging a campaign of harassment “through the use of the internet and other electronic devices”, according to court documents. “She started putting messages up on social media that I’m a paedophile and my associates are paedophiles and that my colleagues are all part of a grooming group,” he said. Nazir reported the incident to British police and informed the woman of his actions.
One of her alleged victims, Rangzib Nazir, 51, a music promoter from Oldham, has spoken of his distress amid claims he was subjected to months of abuse.
Nazir, owner of Lockdown Promotions, was first contacted in December last year. The person said they were interested in booking some acts for an event in the US.
Alarm bells started to ring for Nazir when the contact revealed herself to be a woman – having previously claimed to be a man – and suggested it would be “fun” to put cameras in the room to secretly record the young acts.
When Nazir told her he wanted nothing more to do with the booking, she is said to have vowed to “destroy” him.
He told the Manchester Evening News: “She started putting messages up on social media that I’m a paedophile and my associates are paedophiles and that my colleagues are all part of a grooming group.”
Nazir reported the incident to British police and informed his stalker of his actions.
“She was telling people I had been arrested,” he said. “She was ringing up promoters and artists and telling them not to work with me.”“She was telling people I had been arrested,” he said. “She was ringing up promoters and artists and telling them not to work with me.”
Three months after the initial contact things escalated dramatically when the woman allegedly told police Nazir was holding his family hostage at gunpoint. Three months after the initial contact the woman allegedly told police Nazir was holding his family hostage at gunpoint. In the early hours of the morning Nazir was woken by a message from the woman, part of which read: “Don’t worry, armed police are outside.”
In the early hours of the morning Nazir was woken by a disturbing message from the woman, part of which read: “Don’t worry, armed police are outside.” “I’ve looked outside and seen blue lights and about 17 police cars. Some of them were armed,” Nazir said. He woke his children and elderly parents to show the officers they were not being harmed. But a week later armed police visited his home in the early hours again.
“I’ve looked outside and seen blue lights and about 17 police cars. Some of them were armed,” he recalled. He said police visited him another four times and phoned him on 15 occasions, each time investigating false reports he was abusing children. “They came into my house and wanted to search the rooms, which I didn’t let them do. I just told the children to come downstairs. I invited them in but if I didn’t I’m sure they would knock the door down. They say they want to speak to the children.”
The 51-year-old woke his children and elderly parents to show the officers they were not being harmed. But a week later armed police would again visit his home, again in the early hours. Moments earlier he received a message: “Put the guns away”. All the other alleged victims had online connections with Nazir. In September Rizwan Mahmood, a DJ, came home to find his front door smashed and police inside after a false report that a child was in danger. He said it was the third police visit, after previous bogus reports when he had to show officers his wife and children had come to no harm.
Police would visit him another four times and telephone him on 15 separate occasions – each time investigating false reports he was abusing children. Another associate of Nazir, Sangeetha Singh, 55, from Gorton in Manchester, said she received multiple calls from a woman. “At one point she used to call me 15 to 20 times a day,” she said. “She had been sitting on my Facebook page for three years and she had picked up on little points about my life. She learned about my girls’ movements and about my husband and who my son was.”
“They came into my house and wanted to search the rooms, which I didn’t let them do,” said Nazir. “I just told the children to come downstairs. I invited them in but if I didn’t I’m sure they would knock the door down. They say they want to speak to the children.” The woman allegedly posted pictures of one of Singh’s daughters into a chatroom, suggesting she was a prostitute, and published the family’s address in Gorton. Singh said: “For six months I was scared of posting anything. If I did post a flyer she would phone people up and tell them lies about my daughters. For a mother, it’s very upsetting.”
All the other alleged victims had online connections with Nazir. Other alleged victims included Gee Hussain, 43, a music promoter from Derby, whose home was raided after false reports he had raped a child.
In September, Rizwan Mahmood, a DJ, came home to find his front door smashed and police inside after a false report that a child was being murdered. Gazi denied the allegations against her in a call to the Evening News.
The married father-of-two said it was the third police visit, following previous bogus reports when he had to show officers his wife and children had come to no harm. A Greater Manchester police spokesperson said they were investigating a number of hoax calls spanning the past 12 months, believed to have been made by one individual from the US.
Another associate of Nazir – entrepreneur Sangeetha Singh, 55, from Gorton in Manchester – allegedly started receiving multiple calls from the woman.
“At one point she used to call me 15 to 20 times a day,” she said. “She had been sitting on my Facebook page for three years and she had picked up on little points about my life. She learned about my girls’ movements and about my husband and who my son was,” she said.”
The woman allegedly posted pictures of one of her daughters into a chatroom, suggesting she was a prostitute and published the family’s address in Gorton.
She said: “For six months I was scared of posting anything. If I did post a flyer she would phone people up and tell them lies about my daughters. For a mother, it’s very upsetting.
“Everybody goes on about harassment but when you are in the thick of it there’s nobody to help you, absolutely nobody.”
Other alleged victims included music promoter Gee Hussain, 43, from Derby, whose home was also raided after false reports that he had raped a child.
A Greater Manchester police spokesperson said they were investigating a number of hoax calls spanning the past 12 months that are believed to have been made by one individual from the US.
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