Muslim sues county for head scarf removal

SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A Muslim woman is suing San Bernardino County in California alleging her religious rights were violated when she was forced to remove her head scarf.

Jameelah Medina claims in her suit, which is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California, that the county and the sheriff's department violated her religious rights as well as a 2000 federal law protecting the religious liberty of prisoners when she was forced by deputies to remove her hijab, a head scarf, after being arrested for carrying an invalid Metrolink pass in 2005, the Los Angeles Times reported.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said she could not comment on the case.

"I can tell you that anybody who comes in wearing any type of head covering -- they would have to remove it at the time of booking and that would be for security purposes," Beavers said.