Freedom's on the march. From the Winston-Salem Journal [2], NC, Jan. 26:
An inmate claiming widespread harassment of Muslims in U.S. prisons cannot sue prison guards who he says took his Qurans and prayer rug, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
Abdus-Shahid M.S. Ali, who is serving a sentence of 20 years to life for murder, alleges that the confiscation of religious items is part of a wider campaign being waged against Muslim inmates since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court said that the Federal Tort Claims Act blocks suits regarding property detained by law-enforcement officers, including prison guards.
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, said that the law applies to all law-enforcement officers.
Justice Anthony Kennedy dissented, saying, “The seizure of property by an officer raises serious concerns for the liberty of our people.”
Ali said his books and prayer rug have been missing since he was moved from a federal prison in Atlanta to one in Kentucky in 2003.
Our last post on Islamophobia and the domestic police state [3].
