Florida’s chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is suing Florida Gun Supply owner Andrew Hallinan for banning Muslims from his business in the wake of Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez’s alleged July 16 attack on two separate military centers in Chattanooga.
Those attacks resulted in the deaths of four Marines and one Sailor.
Breitbart News previously reported that Hallinan reacted to the attack by declaring his store a “Muslim-free zone.” Now, Florida’s CAIR chapter is suing Hallinan and his store.
According to Newsweek, Hallinan’s video announcement of the “Muslim-free Zone” suggested that Islam is not “just another religion” and pointed out that Hallinan has “a moral and legal responsibility to ensure the safety of all patriots.” Hallinan made clear that this duty includes not only banning Muslims from buying guns but also from being trained in how to use guns efficiently.
CAIR Florida chief executive director Hassan Shibly countered, claiming, “American Muslims have a right to browse and purchase guns, take classes on gun safety and shoot guns at a range without having to be profiled and discriminated.” He added, “Such discrimination is not only illegal, it is bad for our country and makes us less safe and less free.”
Hallinan’s attorney Robert Muise described CAIR’s lawsuit as “absolutely frivolous.” Moreover, Muise explained that there was a time when Hallinan invited Shibly to Florida Gun Supply for gun training but had to cancel the invite after being “notified by people…that CAIR had been put on the United Arab Emirates’ list of designated terrorist groups.”
In light of this, Muise says CAIR’s lawsuit is a “publicity stunt.”
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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