Muslim leader sue FBI for wrongful death

DETROIT — The family of a Detroit mosque leader has filed a lawsuit against the FBI as a result of a raid in Dearborn in 2009 that killed the man after he was gunned down.

Luqman Ameen Abdullah,  also known as  Christopher Thomas, was shot 21 times by FBI agents during a raid at the warehouse at 5171 Miller Road, just north of Michigan Avenue, just after noon Oct. 28, 2009. An FBI dog was shot twice in its neck and also died as well. He and his allies were accused of dealing stolen goods in an FBI sting operation.

Abdullah

A lawsuit filed Friday in federal court accuses the FBI of using excessive force in Abdullah’s death. The FBI has defended what happened, saying Abdullah was armed and resisted arrest. Both the Michigan Attorney General and The U.S. Justice Department’s civil rights division have said the shootings were justified and have found no wrongdoing in the incident. 

The suit, filed Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court in Detroit, states that Abdullah did not display a gun despite government reports written in the incident’s wake that claimed he fired a pistol.

“Abdullah and the four men did not pose a threat to the unidentified FBI agents’ safety,” the suit said.

Abdullah’s family is suing for wrongful death and violation of his Fourth and Fifth amendment rights of liberty and life with due process, the right to not be subject to excessive force and the right to personal safety, medical care and protection. They are seeking damages for medical, funeral and burial expenses, and pain and suffering.