Cii News – 28 August 2012

An American-born Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh has started a legal challenge calling on authorities to allow Muslim prisoner to perform Salaah in congregation.

The practice was stopped by a prison warden at a federal prison in Terra Haute, Indiana, after inmates performing the salaah ignored a fire alarm in 2007.

Currently the 24 being held at the location are only allowed to perform the joint prayer on Friday’s and during the month of Ramadan.

Lindh said it was absurd to curtail the religious rights of Muslim prisoners as well as other groups.

The 31-year-old is serving a 20-year sentence for helping the Taliban in Afghanistan where he was captured in November 2001.

In his testimony on Monday, he said that the prison was forcing them to commit a sin by not allowing Muslims to pray together.

He added: “There are no legitimate security risks by allowing us to pray in congregations. It’s absolutely absurd.”