Justice Dept. Attorney: Administration Could Challenge Sharia Bills

Seeking to assuage fears of discrimination voiced at an Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis gathering, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Richard Callahan told attendants that bills to ban Sharia Law from Missouri courts could be overturned:

"There is a worse kind of Muslim hatred recently," said Adil Imdad, one of the event's organizers. "Especially in the last two years, Islamophobia and fear-mongering have been spreading like wildfire, and it's causing a lot of stress for our youth."

The problem is now hitting a little closer to home, said Imdad, pointing to three bills currently circulating through the state legislature that seek to limit Sharia law (Islamic law) in Missouri courts. Sharia law could come into play in rulings considering child custody or prisoner rights for Muslims. As we've reported, the bills have become a source of controversy.

Callahan responded by hinting that, should anti-Sharia legislation get passed by the Missouri Legislature, it could be overturned by the federal courts. "The Department of Justice has a good history of challenging laws passed by state legislatures," he said. "If some laws are passed, I think you will see challenges by the federal government on the constitutionality of them."

Read the full story at the Riverfront Times.