KUALA LUMPUR: The Jalur Gemilang is actually the United States flag ‘desecrated’ with Islamic State (ISIS) symbols.
This was the initial conclusion made by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which launched an investigation after receiving a report of an alleged ISIS meeting in Kansas last year.
But the meeting was actually a joint Merdeka and Hari Raya Aidiladha gathering hosted by Munir Zanial, a Malaysian engineer employed by Spirit Aerosystems.
Munir had rented Spirit Boeing Employees’ Association’s (SBEA) recreational lake in Wichita for the Sept 2 event, where he raised the Malaysian flag to mark the nation’s 60th anniversary.
Among the guests were Malaysians who wore the hijab.
But the gathering spooked SBEA, which suspected Munir of being a terrorist.
Shortly after the event, the association filed a complaint with Spirit Aerosystems alleging that Munir and his guests were in possession of an ISIS flag and were conducting an ISIS meeting on SBEA property.
According to the lawsuit filed, a ranger or groundskeeper reported that a group “dressed in Muslim garb” had an American flag “desecrated with ISIS symbols.”
In response, Spirit Aerosystems filed a complaint with the FBI, and several weeks later, Munir received a call from an FBI agent informing him of the investigation, and that law enforcement officials were seeking information on his Facebook account.
However, after speaking with Munir and probing the event, the FBI determined that no terrorism activity had taken place, and closed its investigation in October.
But the matter did not end there, as SBEA engaged a private investigator to continue investigating the incident and terminated Munir’s rental benefits.
It is learnt that at no point in time did SBEA personally discuss the allegations with Munir before terminating his benefits, and he was not notified of the termination until he again tried to reserve the recreational facilities at a later date.
In response, Munir contacted the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas, which filed a lawsuit on his behalf on Friday, March 16.
According to the lawsuit, Munir is concerned that the investigation could affect his lawful permanent residence status.
He also feels distress and humiliation for being singled-out because of his ethnicity, race and religion.
In a press statement on March 19, the ACLU of Kansas said it filed a complaint against SBEA for racial profiling and blatant religious discrimination against Munir, a dues-paying member of the association.
ACLU of Kansas executive director Micah Kubic said the racial profiling and religious discrimination experienced by Munir in this situation is abhorrent.
"To label someone a terrorist due to their appearance and their celebration of their heritage is shameful, but to continue to use that mislabel as grounds for blatant discrimination – even after it had been discredited by the FBI – is downright reprehensible,” said Kubic.