Source: The Boston Globe
The David Project, a non profit Jewish advocacy organization, yesterday charged in Suffolk Superior Court that the Boston Redevelopment Authority is withholding public records related to the authority's sale of land to the Islamic Society of Boston for construction of a mosque.
The organization asked the court to order the BRA to surrender the documents, in particular copies of e-mails written and received by BRA deputy director Mohammad Ali-Salaam regarding the Roxbury land deal, and documents relating to travel by Ali-Salaam to the Middle East on behalf of the mosque project.
Susan Elsbree, spokeswoman for the redevelopment authority, said the authority is "confident the court will find that the BRA has complied with all public records requests."
The David Project is among numerous organizations and individuals sued by the Islamic Society for allegedly conspiring to circulate false and defamatory information about its leaders in order to prevent the building of the mosque.
The defendants reject the conspiracy charge and assert that they made true statements and raised legitimate questions about the society and the project.