U.S. law firm files suit for camel jockeys

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- A South Carolina law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit accusing several Arab sheikhs of being involved in enslaving boys to be camel jockeys.

The firm, Motley Rice, is already involved in a lawsuit aimed at those who paid for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Lawyers say the latest litigation is a natural outgrowth of that suit.

"It is truly shocking that such unimaginable crimes are taking place against children in this day and age," lawyer Ron Motley told the Charleston Post and Courier.

The defendants named in the suit include Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, minister of finance and industry.

Mike Elsner, another lawyer involved in the case, said the suit was filed in Miami because the family has large holdings in Florida.

The lawsuit claims that young boys are kidnapped or sold by their parents and trained to ride racing camels. They are allegedly treated much worse than the animals and thrown out when they are too old to race.