Death Of Local Marine Called Into Question By Family, Attorney Asking For Justice Department Investigation
DETROIT (WWJ) - The local branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the suicide of a Marine recruit from Taylor last March.
Raheel Saddique jumped to his death following verbal and physical abusing during hazing at Parris Island.
The Council's Dawud Walid says Saddique's drill instructor had a history of abusing another Muslim recruit.
"Including last year, 2015, him making anti-Muslim comments toward another recruit, making the recruit lay down in a shower - face first. Humiliated. Also made to jump into an industrial size dryer, in which that dryer was turned on for 30 seconds, making him go around in a circle and cause him burns," said Walid.
Walid wants the investigation to address the question of whether Saddique was singled out because he was a Muslim.
"It is said by the Marine Corps itself, in their preliminary investigation, the drill instructor had hazed Mr. Saddique and also had forcibly hit him in the face, among other things. So we believe that Mr. Saddique's civil rights we violated and the family still questions whether he committed suicide or not," says Walid.
It's against the to berate fellow Americans based upon their religious persuasion and their drill instructors to physically hit .
The Marine Corps says up to 20 instructors could face discipline over the death and others have been let go.
There is still a criminal investigation in motion.