Lawsuits brought against NYC for forcing arrested Muslim women remove hijabs spark debates about religious freedom

Lawsuits brought against New York City by several Muslim women in the last few months, which claim their constitutional rights were violated when they were forced to remove their hijabs while in police custody, have raised debates about measures to protect religious freedom in public and private institutions.

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16 years in prison for man in NYC terror bomb plot

March 25, 2014   An al-Qaida sympathizer who admitted trying to build pipe bombs to carry out a homegrown terror campaign was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in prison, capping a case authorities called an illustration of the threat of lone, local would-be terrorists but his lawyers portrayed as an example of police entrapment. Jose…

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DA: Close court for part of NYC terror-plot trial

January 29, 2014   Prosecutors want to keep testimony by three key witnesses — an undercover police officer and two informants — out of public view at the trial of a man charged with plotting terror attacks with homemade bombs, a case in which police tactics are likely to become a central issue. The Manhattan…

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NYC schools could close to observe Muslim holidays

October 17, 2013   The city’s two mayoral candidates both support adding Eid celebrations to list of days schools are closed. After a new mayor takes office in New York City next year, schoolchildren could very well have an additional two days off in observance of Muslim holidays. Both mayoral candidates, Democrat Bill de Blasio…

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NYC man sentenced to 13 years for lying about his plans to join al-Qaida

NEW YORK — An American citizen was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Friday for lying to the FBI about his attempts to wage violent jihad against U.S. forces by joining the Taliban or al-Qaida. Prosecutors in federal court in Brooklyn had sought the maximum 21 years behind bars for Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, arguing…

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