A boy who was arrested for taking a homemade clock to class is seeking $15m (£10m) from his city and school.
Ahmed Mohamed, 14, was held by police and suspended from his school in Texas because his teacher mistook the clock for a bomb.
His lawyer said in a letter that the incident, which made global headlines, sparked threats against the teenager and left him deeply traumatised.
Ahmed and his family have since moved to Qatar to complete his education.
The arrest sparked outrage, sympathy and the trending hashtag #StandWithAhmed.
His lawyers are asking for $10m (£7m) from the city of Irving and $5m (£3.3m) from the Irving Independent School District, saying that Ahmed was "publicly mistreated" and remains scarred.
In addition to the compensation they want an apology, saying that in the aftermath of the arrest, he received threatening emails and feared for his safety, causing "severe psychological trauma".
The lawyers will file a civil action suit if the school does not comply within 60 days, they said.
"Irving Police officials immediately determined that the clock was harmless. The only reason for the overreaction was that the responsible adults involved irrationally assumed that Ahmed was dangerous because of his race, national origin and religion," the lawyers wrote in a letter to the City of Irving.
Ahmed told reporters at the time it was "very sad" that his teacher thought his clock was a threat.
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| HIS HOME MADE CLOCK WAS MISTAKEN FOR A BOMB. |
His arrest was sharply criticised, and he received an outpouring of support including an invitation to the White House.
In October, he met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Ahmed's father is a Sudanese immigrant to the US who once stood as a presidential candidate against Mr Bashir.
Ahmed also met Google co-founder Sergey Brin and officials from Turkey, Sudan and Jordan.
Texas officials defended their decision, saying they were only concerned with the safety of students.
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community offered him a full scholarship in October. His family announced they would be leaving Texas and moving so he could attend school there.
TIME Magazine named Ahmed among its "30 Most Influential Teens of 2015" list.
BBC report
Hmmmmn.....
ReplyDeleteI don't blame the teacher o, that tingy looks like a BOMB ojare! Lol
DeleteI don't blame the teacher o, that tingy looks like a BOMB ojare! Lol
DeleteSee these opportunists. Like they can win this case.
ReplyDeleteU just called them opportunist? And u r educated? Smh
DeleteWhich kind clock be this kwanu?.It looks like a bomb.. I don't blame anybody for reporting him after what happened in France everyone is being extra careful.
DeleteThese people can sue ehn. Always looking for an opportunity to exploit people.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of scary home made clock is that? The city And school should get a good lawyer and turn the Case Around.
A whole 15m dollars.lol
I wish him all the best
Wait o.
ReplyDeleteHe was named among most influential teens.
He was given a scholarship.
He met Mark Zuckerberg and the Sudanese president.
Now he has "severe psychological trauma" and is suing for that large amount of money.
One trillion, what do we call this?
End time boy
DeleteEnd time lawyer
End time case
...hahahahaha
The lawyers are opportunists!
Business!! Kikikikikiki
DeleteYeah.i agree that he must have undergone some trauma.the extent? I can't tell.does he deserves compensation? Yea I think he does.how much? I can't tell.
DeleteBuy of course u and I knew dis was a Goldmine he and d folks landed d moment we knew it was was a Clock he carried and not a Bomb.
I knew it would come to dis.d sensationality d Press gave d matter and d boy ensured d boy would turn out a Millionaire real soon.
End time suing, end time home made clock, end time ahmed, end time lawyer, end time psychological trauma, end time school. Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Mystique abeg I no fit laugh.
DeleteLol, @ one trillion come & answer oooo..
DeleteU and is needef aspa.
Lmao mystique, you're still asking? It's endtime package na, nutty you
DeleteGoogle co founder , not Facebook CEO Mystique
Deletenice move
ReplyDelete#GODWIN™
Ok ooo, I wish him the best.
ReplyDelete#StandWithAhmed
ReplyDeleteYou really can't blame the teacher, I suggest they negotiate with the family or lawyer for a lower compensation.
ReplyDeleteRubbish. Mark my words, Dis pikin go still do bomb. Living in Qatar Abi!? Just as some immigrants turned terrorist recently, so will he retaliate soon. Make dem watch am! Who makes a homemade clock in a briefcase, bomb style??
ReplyDeleteWhy do I have a feeling u are right?
DeleteI just hope it doesn't finally happen.
Kai! We are at War with Terrorism o! U never can tell who wil be radicalized next.
Sometimes I catch maself asking "Can we ever win this War against Terrorism?
LMao.... I wonder.
DeleteI stood up for the boy when the incident happened but seeing the real picture of the clock....just left me concerned
It's this discrimination that will turn the little boy to bomb manufacturer. If he is traumatized, then he can do otherwise.
DeleteLol.
ReplyDeleteI see why they mistook it for a bomb.
But the whole thing was handled wrongly, so, well, he deserves some compensation.
#WhiteDiamondOut
These people he's suing made him what he is today. His story wouldn't have gone out if his teacher had not accused him and if he wasn't arrested. I'm not saying it's right that he was treated that way, but this boy and his family should go easy.
ReplyDeleteBesides, with the positives vibes that have come his way since then, I don't think anyone is victimising or would victimise him further. They should chill.
Jesus is Lord.
A future Terrorist
ReplyDeleteThe family should move on and stop trying to cash in on the incident, the world have enough problems to deal with right now, haba!.
ReplyDeletegoodluck to him.
ReplyDeleteAt best he gets an apology but $15 million? Come on. He is arab with a clock what is anyone to think and I can see his lawyers are as high as a kite.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure u are not aware of this case and how that boy was treated and humiliated like a criminal;terrorist . Bet me, he will get compensated and dat apology. If the US government has not considered their actions inappropriate, y invite d boy to d white house same day? He will get some millions, it might not b $15 million . This I'm sure of. #herroyalnuttiness
DeleteInfact his parents should even guard him now because a talented boy like this will be the target of ISIS and other terrorist groups...
ReplyDeleteKids have access to social media,i have a feeling they might want to contact him and then the brain washing will begin....
I know for sure that the USA will keep a close eye on him.
As for the money they are demanding,well..this boy went through a lot this period.. So let them pay,maybe not that much though.
Yes I agree dat the US authorities should keep an eye on him.but u know how dese things happen,dey wil watch him for a long while and den let him drop off d radar....
DeleteCos dey feel he is not a risk. But then...
BOOM! But I pray it doesn't end dat way....
He should be deported to Iraq to join his ISIS brothers.
ReplyDeleteCan he try this joke in all these Sharia countries?
Lolz....it came later Dan i expected
ReplyDeleteHe should wait until Donald F trump becomes President, nor be only 15million e go get
ReplyDeleteBwahahahahahahaha
DeleteDonald Trump enwero chill.
Endtime future president. Lolzzz
15m dollarsssssss???????
ReplyDeleteEya,i feel for the boy oo, but they should reduce the fine now and do the public apology.
ReplyDeleteBtw oo, they should do some orientation for him ooo.
They have advised him. World people. Good to be back in naija
ReplyDeleteSmart family. Sue them plz and don't settle for less
ReplyDeleteI came here for the comments and I wasn't disappointed.
ReplyDeleteYou can smell the hate for Islam right from inside your screen.
But I can hardly blame you guys for your ignorance. You judge based on what you see going on in the world. If he wasn't a muslim, would he have been meted the same treatment? No?
What about all the spree killers that take gun to schools and kill? Have they been labelled christians even though most of them are? No! The issue of religion doesn't come up except when it involves a muslim.
He deserves even penny he is asking for. After all, it was just a 'clock'
Anon 9:42,shut up.Stop talking rubbish. Can you deny that 99% of muslims are not Terrorists?
DeleteAre u an idiot. Those comparisons you have tried to make now, did anyone of them kill in d name of religion or God, did they not do it in their name. Dyu have sense???
DeleteDeserve what nonsense penny?? The rate at which ur extremist brothers have been killing innocents, doesn't it not call for extra vigilance??? I support that teacher 100%, if only people had been this vigilant in other cases, maybe, just maybe those other incidents would have been averted. What nonsense are u saying sef. He's even lucky he's allowed to go to same school with those ppl sef with the kind of security threats that ur brothers pose.
And no, I won't apologise for my comment.
If my child makes a clock in a suitcase,i will be happy he is smart ooh but menn,i will give him stolen glances once in a while...
DeleteWeird much.
God bless u Eka Joy for that first paragraph.
DeleteJesus is Lord.
Oga,all dos people that killed others,did any of them shout "halleluyah" before killing people?
DeleteShut up you lousy bastard...those killers will not be labelled Christians cos they do not kill in the name of Christ or Jesus...all Islamic terrorist do all they do in the name of Islam so why will we not hate heir religion.......pour your venom on your Islamic brothers not we Christians. Melody idiat
DeleteWho makes a homemade clock in a briefcase, I haven't seen such before. Initially it was an honest mistake from his teachers but then again they took it too far.
ReplyDeleteThey should accept the apology already, after all he has been recognised with so many opportunities including a scholarship.
This clock actually look like a bomb !to say that's a huge amount of money though,hope the family don't regret this in future..
ReplyDeleteI don't blame the teacher for thinking it was a bomb cos what if it really turned out to be one nko?Na another gist we for de so!
ReplyDeleteThese are fraught times and everyone is being very cautious,so even things that are seen as not harmful can turn out to be.
Better to be safe than sorry!
If they succeed in the £15m compensation,the lawyers don kuku map out their hefty share.