HOW TO WINK AT A MUSLIM: Tennessee politician posts photo of man taking aim with a double-barreled shotgun with outrageous caption

A local politician in Tennessee is under fire after he shared an offensive picture on Facebook.

The picture showed a cowboy taking aim with a double barrel shotgun, one eye closed, with the caption 'How to wink at a Muslim'.

Barry West, the Coffee County commissioner who shared the doctored photo on Facebook, took it down an hour after posting it but still does not see the problem with the 'humorous' post.

Police were seen searching a landfill in nearby New Bedford, Massachusetts last week during their search for evidence in the case.

'I’m prejudiced against anyone who’s trying to tear down this country, Muslims, Mexicans, anybody,' Mr West told The Tullahoma News .

'If you come into this country illegally or harm us or take away benefits, I’m against it.'

When he was later interviewed by The Tennessean , he didn't understand why he was being questioned.

'No I did not create this picture... yes I shared it... so why am I being singled out?' he said.

He took the picture down shortly after posting it, and the local NBC affiliate reports that he put up a cryptic status minutes later: 'Isn't a shame how some think all apples in a barrel are bad if the find one? Oh by the way, this is not me in this picture!'

No retreat: Barry West said that he is not the man in the photo but does not deny sharing it

That was removed as well.

The photo has Islamic advocacy groups outraged, particularly because there has been a string of anti-Muslim incidents in Tennessee in recent years.

Mosques have been vandalized four times, prompting a justice department investigation.

Though local groups are calling for an apology from Mr West- which he has denied- it also seems that there will be no formal rebuke from the Coffee County Mayor.

Channel 4 spoke with Mayor David Pennington who said that while he was aware of the photo, he is not in a position to take action.