Group files lawsuit after Illinois State Police revoke 1st Muslim chaplain’s appointment
By APMonday, August 30, 2010
Ill. state police sued over Muslim chaplain flap
CHICAGO — An advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against the Illinois State Police alleging discrimination when the agency revoked the appointment of the agency’s first Muslim chaplain.
Kifah Mustapha, a Chicago-area imam, was named a chaplain in December. His appointment was revoked months later with little explanation.
The lawsuit alleges the agency was swayed by allegations from the Washington-based Investigative Project on Terrorism claiming Mustapha was a “radical fundraiser.” Mustapha hasn’t been charged.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Chicago office filed the complaint Monday in federal court, alleging religious and racial discrimination among other things. Mustapha is Lebanese of Palestinian descent.
A state police spokesman declined to comment.
