Model Gigi Hadid has hit out at a right-wing journalist on Twitter for suggesting Muslim women were being insensitive by wearing hijabs following a terror attack in New York City.

Hadid, 22, labelled activist Laura Loomer a “f––king moron” after she photographed two women wearing the Muslim headwear on street in Greenwich, a few blocks from where a van ploughed into a crowd, killing eight people and injuring 12.

“Muslims are out in full force at the scene of the NYC #ISIS attack today rubbing it in everyone’s face. Aimlessly walking around in hijabs,” Loomer tweeted.

“You’d think they’d have the decency to not walk around in hijabs @ cross street of the attack. But they don’t. I bet they’re loving this.”

https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/925763606083448832

Hadid, who is part-Palestinian, shot back: “Laura, I hate to give you the attention, but I need to tell you – you’re a f––king moron.”

But Loomer, who regularly courts controversy and was this week banned from using Uber after she made racist comments about the appearance of the company’s drivers, stood by her initial statement.

“The 2 women were smiling/smirking in hijabs as they walked past scene of terrorist attack. That is not appropriate. I stand by what I said,” she tweeted.

https://twitter.com/GiGiHadid/status/925776591292108802

Authorities on Thursday charged Uzbekistan-born US immigrant Sayfullo Saipov with providing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organisation – Islamic State – and violence and destruction of motor vehicles.

Regular Vogue cover star Hadid has spoken about being “proud” of her Middle Eastern heritage in the past.

However, she incited outrage in March this year when she posed for the cover of the first-ever Vogue Arabia wearing a bejewelled hijab, with some commentators suggesting she was turning the religious garment into a “fashion statement”.

She was also criticised when she insinuated her boyfriend, half-Pakistani singer Zayn Malik, was “also Middle Eastern”, when Pakistan is actually an Asian country.

“My boyfriend is also half Middle Eastern,” she said in 2016. “It’s just a connection that you make that’s really cool. It’s hard to explain, but you feel like you’re amongst [your] people.”

US President Donald Trump has responded to the attack on Tuesday (US time) by promising to terminate the country’s green card lottery program and suggesting Saipov be sent to notorious prison, Guantánamo Bay.

Federal prosecutors said Saipov was “consumed by hate and a twisted ideology” when he attacked.