Related Federal Cases
FBI Clears in Imam Abdullah Shooting
WASHINGTON – In a move that has left many in the Muslim community stunned, the FBI has announced that it will not file charges against the agents involved in the shooting of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah, a Detroit Muslim cleric, who was shot during an October 28, 2009, arrest in Dearborn, Mich.
The FBI’s decision comes after an extensive review of the evidence, which included examining all documents, witness accounts, forensic evidence and reports, and operational plans and procedures generated by an FBI Inspection Division inquiry, a Dearborn Police Department investigation, and the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s office.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E. Perez met in Detroit today with members of Imam Abdullah’s family and later with representatives of interested local groups to explain the decision. According to Perez, ‘the evidence does not reveal a violation of Section 242, the applicable federal statute.’
Section 242 of the U.S. Code makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law to willfully deprive a person of a right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. To establish a violation, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that an official used unnecessary and unreasonable force that was not warranted to achieve a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
The FBI agents who shot Imam Abdullah voluntarily agreed to be interviewed as part of the investigation. Perez explained that while the agents’ actions were thoroughly reviewed, ‘the evidence does not support a finding that the agents acted willfully, with the specific intent to do something the law forbids.’
The FBI’s decision to clear its agents in the shooting has sparked outrage in the Muslim community, with many questioning the FBI’s handling of the case. Imam Abdullah was a prominent figure in the Muslim community, and his death has left many feeling betrayed by the FBI’s actions.
The case has been returned to the FBI to complete its administrative inquiry into the incident. While the FBI’s decision will not bring Imam Abdullah back, it has left many in the Muslim community feeling disappointed and disillusioned with the FBI’s handling of the case.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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