Arab group to sue U.S. government over Lebanon evacuation [View All]

[sabra]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/UPDATE/607240392

Arab group to sue U.S. government over Lebanon evacuation

DETROIT -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee says it will sue the U.S. Government, claiming that it failed to protect American citizens from the fighting in Lebanon.

The lawsuit, which was to be filed Monday on behalf of about 30 American citizens, alleges that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld did not take all possible steps to secure the safety and well being of U.S. citizens when fighting erupted between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas.

The committee is asking the U.S. District Court in Detroit to order the American government to request a cease fire and to stop shipments of weapons or any other military support to Israel during the evacuation of U.S. citizens from Lebanon.

"We just feel the U.S. government has put its citizens at risk by supplying missiles when many U.S. citizens are still there," said Nabih Ayad, lawyer for committee and the citizens who were all in Lebanon. Ayad said a few included in the lawsuit are still trying to leave the country.

"We're not trying to interfere with the war, we just want to protect our U.S. citizens and try to bring them back," Ayad said.