Washington DC [US], November 16 : The family of Malcolm X, a civil rights activist who was assassinated 60 years ago, accused the Department of Justice (DOJ), FBI, CIA and New York Police Department (NYPD) in 100 million dollar lawsuit on Friday for playing a significant role in his murder, The Hill reported.
The lawsuit filed by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz - along with Malcolm X estate - claimed that the federal agencies played a significant role in the events leading to Malcolm X's slaying and then engaged in a decades-long cover-up of their involvement.
The suit also demands answers to questions still surrounding the assassination.
The lawsuit accuses the agencies of being aware of credible threats against Malcolm X's life but failed to intervene, The Hill reported.
"As a direct result of the Defendants' intentional, bad faith, willful, wanton, reckless, unreasonable and/or deliberately indifferent acts and omissions, Malcolm X was deprived of his federal constitutional rights, was robbed of his life and freedom, and sustained severe physical, emotional, and monetary damages, including conscious physical pain and suffering," the lawsuit states.
Malcolm X was an African American activist who played a major role in advocating for black empowerment during the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s.
He was assassinated at the age of 39 by three men in February of 1965 at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. He was shot 21 times in the attack.
The lawsuit alleges that under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, then-head of the FBI, the entities "went beyond mere allegedly illegal surveillance of Malcolm X, actively conspiring to reduce his protection and leaving him vulnerable to an attack they knew was imminent."
"For decades, these agencies viewed Black activism as a threat to national security, resulting in the unchecked targeting of prominent leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey," the family said in a press release, as reported by The Hill.
"This lawsuit seeks accountability for the systemic negligence and intentional actions that deprived Malcolm X's family and the world of his life and legacy."
The suit also charges the defendants with conspiracy, fraudulent concealment and wrongful death.
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