Ahmed Mohamed seeking $15M after clock incident

Ahmed Mohamed, 14, was held by police and suspended from his school in Texas because his teacher mistook the clock for a bomb. Well, he’s back in the news, this time seeking reparations – to the tune of $15 million.

Ahmed’s lawyers wrote in a letter to the city of Irving: “Irving Police officials immediately determined that the clock was harmless”.

If the Mohamed family does not receive their money or an apology in 60 days, their attorney promises to take civil action.

In a notice from his attorneys obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the 14-year-old claims he suffered physical and mental anguish because his civil rights were violated during what they called “unlawful detention, interrogation, arrest, and public mistreatment”. That’s interesting. At the very least, the family quietly concedes that America, despite its “discriminatory” demeanor, is still a better place to live than a predominately Muslim country.

Mohamed’s story first went viral in September, shortly after Mohamed was handcuffed and escorted from school to a juvenile facility.

Ahmed won support from Obama and other major U.S. figures, including Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, who said “having the skill and ambition to build something cool should lead to applause, not arrest”. According to the letters, the police illegally questioned Ahmed without his parents present and school officials tried to coerce a confession from the boy. The city of Irving also acknowledged receiving the letter Monday and said they are reviewing it and had nothing further to add.

The letters demand $10 million be paid to the family by the city of Irving, and $5 million from the school district.

His lawyer said in a letter that the incident, which made global headlines, sparked threats against the teenager and left him deeply traumatised. His lawyers allege that the city devised a plan to “trash Ahmed”, specifically by pushing the “false narrative that the school’s hands were tied by Texas” “zero tolerance’ law on school discipline” in order to save face.

The Mohammed family recently moved to Qatar, where a foundation there offered to pay for him to attend school there.