Muslim Group Sues Over Denial of Mosque, Asks Feds to Investigate

STERLING HEIGHTS, MI — The American Islamic Community Center on Wednesday filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging Sterling Heights officials violated several federal laws last fall when they denied a permit to build a mosque.

Attorneys Azzam Elder, Mo Abdrabboh, Dan Dalton and Ken Lane also asked the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct an independent investigation into the denial, according to a statement.

“We all know of a time in our history when sentiment in America were anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish, anti-German, anti-Japanese, or anti-black, and those times have forever stained on our history. In fact today we still suffer from remnants of the damage caused,” Elder said in the statement.

“As defenders of the U.S. Constitution, we are confident that there will come a day when it will also be inconceivable to be anti- Muslim,” he continued. This is why we filed this lawsuit, in order to continue the struggle of protecting the rights of all minority groups in America.”

In May 2014, the Sterling Heights Muslim community entered into an agreement to purchase property on 15 Mile Road to build a mosque on land within a zoning district that allows houses of worship.

Don Mende, the city’s planning director, signed off on the site plan, which was presented at a public hearing last fall before what Elder said was a “hostile” Planning Commission and public. The permit was ultimately denied.

Elder said the plaintiffs will present evidence that shows Muslim residents, including senior citizens and teenagers, were “threatened, assaulted, spit on and dehumanized while some police officers st back and watched.”

Elder said Sterling Heights leaders have had nearly a year to approve the mosque and uphold the constitutional rights of the city’s Muslim residents.

“With a vociferous and racist member of the planning commission leading the charge, the planning commission voted to reject the site plan,” Elder wrote in the lawsuit. “With no other choice, the American Islamic Community Center has filed this suit seeking equitable relief to build the mosque and seeks damages as the city of Sterling Heights’ conduct violates, among other things, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.”

Federal law protects individuals, houses of worship and other religious institutions from discrimination in zoning and land-use laws. The Islamic Community Center is asking for equitable relief to build the mosque, and for damages against the city for its alleged discriminatory conduct violating the 1st and 14th amendments to the Constitution.

Those who would worship at the mosque include veteran Khalil Abbas, a senior airman with the U.S. Air Force who served during Desert Storm. His grandfather was a World War II veteran and other members of his family have fought for the United States in other wars.

“All I want is for the city of Sterling Heights to follow the U.S. Constitution and protect my rights as a veteran and citizen,” Abbas said in a statement.

Many of the members of the Islamic Community Center have lived in Sterling Heights for more than 50 years, according to the statement.

Read the complaint below.

AIIC Complaint FINAL Copy (1)