Seattle imam challenges U.S. government watch list

-Watch list subjects those on it to constant suspicion without due process, investigation, or indictment

SEATTLE – A Seattle Muslim religious leader has filed suit against the U.S. government for placing him on the watch list.

The watch list subjects those on it to constant suspicion without due process, investigation, or indictment.

Imam Farid Sulayman, who leads the prayers, has been subject to multiple additional security checks and searches during his travels.

He believes he is on a federal government watch list used to identify potential terrorists traveling to or through the United States.

The watch list in question is a database of the FBI, which contains the names of U.S. and foreign citizens.

The said he has not received any confirmation or explanation from the law enforcement agencies.

“We’re hoping that Farid’s case is the one that ends the watchlist,” said Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) lawyer Gadeir Abbas.

 This database is shared with various government agencies, law enforcement agencies, and even private entities such as banks.

Being on the watch list not only affects travel and visas but can also affect access to credit and job opportunities.

The U.S. government established this watch list in 2003 after the September 11 attacks to better monitor individuals entering the country.

However, critics contend that the system has disproportionately targeted Muslims, resulting in arrests, surveillance, and inclusion on the watch list without adequate justification.

The lawsuit seeks to challenge the constitutionality of the watch list system, which remains in operation 20 years after its inception.

In the last fiscal year, border agents reported nearly 500 individuals on the watch list.

The lawsuit aims to draw attention to the alleged violations and lack of transparency under the watch list system.