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Maryland Town Will Buy Land In Religious Bias Settlement

By Howard M. Friedman

Today's Frederick (MD) News-Post reports that the town of Walkersville, Maryland has agreed in general on a settlement in a lawsuit against it brought by the owners of land that the Ahmadiyya Movement of Islam had hoped to buy to construct a mosque. In the lawsuit the seller alleged that his sale of the land was blocked by government officials and private citizens in concerted actions motivated by anti-Muslim hostility. A March 2009 federal court decision allowed plaintiff to proceed with most of his claims. (See prior posting.) Under the settlement-- which has not yet been reduced to writing or signed-- the city will purchase the land from owner David Moxley for $4.7 million. At the Walkersville town council meeting tonight, an ordinance will be introduced to appropriate the funds, and a public hearing on the settlement is scheduled for Sept. 23.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on September 09, 2009 (boomark / email).