A Lebanese American police officer has filed a lawsuit against the San Jose, California Police Department alleging racial discrimination, reported NBC Bay Area.
Officer Nabil Haidar, a Lebanese American and Muslim officer, said his fellow officers called him “Bin Laden,” “Taliban” and “Beirut Bomber” in the days and years following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Haidar hired a California law firm to represent him in his lawsuit against the city of San Jose, the police department and police chief. He also named five other officers.
NBC Bay Area reported that the alleged harassment “escalated to a new height” after the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 to begin the Iraq War.
The lawsuit claimed that police officers allegedly said, “You’re not gonna blow up are you?” Haidar claims his fellow officers imitated his accent while saying, “I’ll kill you all.”
Haidar’s attorney said he decided to pursue legal action after he was allegedly harassed by a police sergeant at a meeting recognizing veterans.
“Captain, you forgot to mention Nabil. He is an ISIS veteran,” the sergeant allegedly said. “He was with ISIS for two years.”
The San Jose-based Mercury News reported that the city had not yet received a copy of the complaint.
“However, based on the claim filed by Mr. Haidar with the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and our subsequent investigation, we have not seen a basis for liability against the City,” City Attorney Rick Doyle said.