'Clock Kid' Wants $15M and Some Apologies

The family of "clock kid" Ahmed Mohamed hasn't exactly forgotten about his arrest in September. Their lawyer today sent letters to the city hall and school district of Irving, Texas, threatening to file a civil lawsuit within 60 days unless they receive apologies and $15 million in payments, the Dallas Morning News reports. Ahmed was arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school that a teacher said resembled a bomb. "Mayor Beth Van Duyne lied about Ahmed and his family, and she did it to an audience that is on the absolute fringe of American life," writes attorney Kelly Hollingsworth in the letter. "Van Duyne irreparably endangered the safety of the Ahmed family." Among other things, the letter claims that:

• police broke the law by interrogating 14-year-old Ahmed without his parents there (even though he requested their presence).
• officials suggested that Ahmed had lied about his arrest, and incorrectly said he broke school rules with his homemade clock.
• school and city officials planned a way to "trash Ahmed" in media reports after police charges were dropped.

The letter is demanding $10 million from the city, $5 million from the school district, and apologies from Van Duyne and other officials. WFAA quotes the letter, saying Van Duyne must admit that "she has never been presented with any evidence that Ahmed was a 'pawn' in any 'civilization jihad.'" Ahmed and his family have since moved to Qatar. (More Islamophobia stories.)