A Central Florida Muslim businessman detained by authorities at airports and border crossings more than 30 times since June has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It's the second such lawsuit Sadique M. Jaffer has filed in Orlando against the federal agency in almost four years, in response to what he says are baseless and harassing detentions.

Jaffer, who lives in Windermere and works in real estate and computer sales in multiple states, claims he has been detained more than 50 times since 2007 as he has traveled domestically and internationally.

Jaffer said in his latest legal filing that he drew the attention of the FBI when he filed a slander and libel lawsuit against members of a local Shia Muslim community board in 2007. Even though a local FBI agent told Jaffer's attorney in May 2007 that his client was not a person of interest, an agent in New York nominated Jaffer to the federal watch list, the lawsuit said.

Jaffer said he has agreed to cooperate with authorities and notify the FBI if he learned of any threats emanating from the Orlando Shia Muslim community, but that did not prevent him from being detained.

Neither the FBI nor Department of Homeland Security would answer questions about Jaffer or comment on the lawsuit.

"We understand the need to protect this country from terrorists," said Jaffer's attorney, J. Christy Wilson III. "But we also have a constitution in this country. We have certain rights." The constant detentions have created hardships, are embarrassing and disheartening to Jaffer, his attorney said.

According to Jaffer's lawsuit, he was detained in August 2007 when he arrived in Houston from a business trip in Costa Rica. He was escorted off the airplane and detained for four hours, according to the suit. He was not given water, food or allowed to use the restroom and was ordered to sit and stare at a wall. "If he so much as turned his head, he was verbally abused for doing so," Jaffer's lawsuit says.

Dozens of detentions would follow when Jaffer traveled, and in some instances, his wife and children were detained. Jaffer's attorney wrote several letters to authorities complaining of unwarranted detentions, but federal officers continued to stop him while traveling.

In October 2008, Jaffer and his attorney voluntarily met with FBI agents in New York, the lawsuit says. At the end of the questioning, agents told Jaffer they would initiate the process to stop the detentions, but there proved to be no immediate relief.

In April 2009, Jaffer filed suit in Orlando federal court against the Department of Homeland Security. Four months later, he was removed from the watch list, and the detentions stopped. Jaffer dropped that suit after receiving the requested relief.

Then in June 2012, Jaffer was detained while traveling from New York City to Orlando. Since then, the businessman claims, he has been detained more than 30 times.

Wilson said Jaffer does not know why he has been placed on the federal watch list again and that they have offered to meet with federal authorities. "We're not trying to hide anything," Wilson said. "We're willing to talk to them … and answer their questions as he's done before."

Orlando Sentinel, 22 December 2012

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A high-flying businessman was hauled before the court for a tirade of religious abuse at a Muslim immigration official waiting to check his passport.

Anthony Holt, 65, had become wound up after reading an article in the Daily Mail about the "victimisation of Christianity" on a flight into Manchester. When he landed, the retired consultant refused to go through a desk where Sayima Mohammed was on duty.

He astonished witnesses by pointing at her and saying: "I don't want to be seen by that. I don't want to be seen by any Muslim in a position of authority. I want to be seen by someone who's English. This is England. This is my country. I'm not into all this Islam."

As Ms Mohammed burst into tears, her colleagues refused to check Mr Holt's documents and ordered him to calm down. When police arrived, Holt turned his attention to a cop, saying: "That's Islam. I'm not going to that. This is my country." The 15-minute row only ended when he was arrested.

During a police interview Holt claimed the abuse was not "personal". He said: "The problem I have is with Islam as a whole. It's threat to the British population and the British way of life. I wanted to take a stand."

Holt, of Railway Road, Urmston, pleaded guilty to using religiously aggravated threatening words or behaviour. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation and a £145 fine.

Trafford magistrates heard he had worked as a consultant advising lawyers about the purchase of railway stock until his retirement earlier this month.

The court heard the outburst took place in front of a queue of witnesses, including children. In a statement to police, Ms Mohammed said: "I felt threatened, shocked and humiliated to be treated in that manner for no apparent reason."

Praveen Sethi, defending, said Holt had been flying into Manchester at the end of "a stressful week". He had been reading an article in the Mail in which the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey spoke of the "victimisation of Christians and Christianity".

Mr Sethi said: "He took his frustrations out on the first person he saw. Mr Holt is a man of previous good character. He's not a racist nor against any religion what-so-ever, which makes it even more surprising he carried out this act."

The court heard Holt suffered from a neurological disorder which meant he could "explode" at any time.

Holt told magistrates his comments were not directed to Ms Mohammed, but at the fact she was wearing a scarf. He said: "I have pleaded guilty because I am. It's totally out of character for me. I deeply regret it and deeply regret any offence or distress I caused the lady. Nothing I said was directed to her personally."

Geoff Homer, chairman of the bench, told Holt: "You have said to this court this is a one off incident and we accept that."

Manchester Evening News, 2 June 2012

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