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A Muslim campaigner claimed 'Zionists sneaked into his home while he was asleep to steal his shoe'.

Asghar Bukhari, a founding member of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK, made the extraordinary claim in a Facebook post but soon faced ridicule.

Within a few hours wags had started using the hashtag Mossadstolemyshoe, a reference to the Israeli counter terrorism unit.

In his original Facebook post, which has since been removed, Mr Bukhari wrote: "Are Zionists trying to intimidate me: Someone came into my home yesterday while I was asleep.

"I don't know how they got in, but they didn't break in - the only thing they took was one shoe."

He continued: "Now think about that, the only thing they took was a single shoe - they left one shoe behind to let me know someone had been there.

"Of course I can't prove anything and that's part of the intimidation. The game is simple - to make me feel vulnerable in my own home. It's psychological. Neither can I do much about it."

"It is not the first time I have heard this happening," he continued. "I have had another Muslim leader call me a year or so ago in tears - she told me they had been coming into her house and rearranging things - just to let her know they had been there.

"There is one good thing that comes out of all oppression however - for those who are smart - from my misfortune, others can learn how they operate.

"Share this widely, for if it is happening to me I am sure it {sic} happening o many, many others who have no exposed it."

Mr Bukhari did not necessarily get the response he intended, once Twitter picked up on the post.

Among the critics was Brian Spanneropolous, who joked that he bought a pair of Adidas trainers from a Mossad agent - note the Star of David laces in the picture below.

There were plenty of other people willing to create their own memes to mock the shoe-stealing claims.

Mr Bukhari appears to have taken the response in his stride though, tweeting a series of comments on his Twitter profile.

In one of them he says 'haters gonna hate' and in other posts uses the Mossadstolemyshoe hashtag before asking for his phantom footwear back.