Ahmed Mohamed, who was arrested in Texas for taking a homemade clock to class, is seeking $15 million from the City of Irving and MacArthur highschool.
The teenager was held by police and suspended from his school because his teacher mistook the clock for a bomb.
Ahmed Mohamed’s lawyer said in a letter that the incident, which made global headlines, sparked threats against the boy and left him deeply traumatized.
The 14-year-old and his family have since moved to Qatar to complete his education.
The arrest sparked outrage, sympathy and the trending hashtag #StandWithAhmed.
Ahmed Mohamed’s lawyers are asking for $10 million from the city of Irving and $5 million from the Irving Independent School District, saying that Ahmed Mohamed was “publicly mistreated” and remains scarred.
In addition to the compensation they want an apology, saying that in the aftermath of the arrest, he received threatening emails and feared for his safety, causing “severe psychological trauma”.
The lawyers will file a civil action suit if the school does not comply within 60 days, they said.
“Irving Police officials immediately determined that the clock was harmless. The only reason for the overreaction was that the responsible adults involved irrationally assumed that Ahmed was dangerous because of his race, national origin and religion,” the lawyers wrote in a letter to the City of Irving.
Ahmed Mohamed told reporters at the time it was “very sad” that his teacher thought his clock was a threat.
His arrest was sharply criticized, and he received an outpouring of support including an invitation to the White House.
In October, Ahmed Mohamed met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. The boy’s father is a Sudanese immigrant to the US who once stood as a presidential candidate against Omar al-Bashir.
Ahmed Mohamed also met Google co-founder Sergey Brin and officials from Turkey, Sudan and Jordan.
Texas officials defended their decision, saying they were only concerned with the safety of students.
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community offered him a full scholarship in October.
Ahmed Mohamed’s family announced they would be leaving Texas and moving so he could attend school there.
Texas student Ahmed Mohamed, who was arrested in Irving after his teacher mistook his homemade clock for a bomb, will move to Qatar with his family.
The 14-year-old Muslim boy has accepted a scholarship from the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, where he will study.
Ahmed Mohamed met President Barack Obama at the White House on October 19.
After being detained over the clock, Ahmed Mohamed’s case went viral on social media.
Some alleged the boy was unfairly treated because of his name and religious background. Officials in Irving Texas defended their decision, saying they were only concerned with the safety of students.
The Qatar Foundation is providing a full scholarship for his secondary and undergraduate education, according to a news release.
“Our family has been overwhelmed by the many offers of support we have received since the unfortunate incident of Ahmed’s arrest,” the Mohamed family said in the release.
“From the White House to Sudan, to Mecca, we have been welcomed by a variety of individuals, businesses and educational institutions.”
According to his family, Ahmed Mohamed will be enrolled in the Qatar Foundation’s “Young Innovators” program and his whole family will relocate with him to Qatar.
“Qatar was a cool place to visit. I loved the city of Doha because it’s so modern. I saw so many amazing schools there, many of them campuses of famous American universities,” said Ahmed Mohamed in the news release.
“The teachers were great. I think I will learn a lot and have fun too.”
Ahmed Mohamed withdrew from his Texas school shortly after the clock incident.
The boy was arrested after his teacher mistook his clock for a bomb, sparking outrage and the trending hashtag #StandWithAhmed.
In addition to being invited to the White House, Ahmed Mohamed received an outpouring of support from scientists, politicians and celebrities.
Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old Texas student who made headlines after being arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school, has met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The boy and his family were received at a presidential compound in Sudan’s capital Khartoum on October 14, according to state-run radio.
Ahmed Mohamed was pulled out of class and handcuffed because a teacher mistook his clock for a bomb.
His arrest was sharply criticized and the police declined to file charges.
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Hassan al-Sufi, is a Sudanese immigrant to the United States and a former presidential candidate who ran against Omar al-Bashir in two elections.
Photo Getty Images
President Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Darfur, which he denies.
Ahmed Mohamed said he was pleased to meet the president and vowed to return one day with a new invention, according to the radio broadcast.
The boy has also been invited to the White House by US President Barack Obama, who tweeted his support after the incident.
NASA scientists and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also praised Ahmed Mohamed’s initiative.
The police rejected a suggestion by Ahmed Mohamed’s family that he was detained because he was Muslim.
Ahmed Mohamed is due to meet President Barack Obama in Washington, after attending a Muslim gala on October 17.
On October 19, Ahmed Mohamed is expected to visit the White House for an evening of stargazing, as a special guest of the president.
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