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Police detective insulted his faith, Muslim cabdriver says

By CRISTINA SILVA
Published October 13, 2006

INDIAN SHORES - A Tampa cabdriver says he was yelled at, ridiculed and pushed by an Indian Shores police detective because of his Islamic faith while being questioned about a stolen iPod and cell phone last month.

Yaqoob Ahmed Chaki, 42, said the exchange was humiliating.

"It's the way I look," said Chaki, an American Muslim who was born in Pakistan and has a deep tan.

At a press conference Thursday, Chaki asked for a written apology. And the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights organization, asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department to investigate the Indian Shores Police Department.

Indian Shores police Chief Earl D. Williams called the allegations false and mystifying and said he had never heard them before Thursday.

"We rule people out as suspects or we rule them in. The fact that he was Pakistani was of no interest to us," Williams said.

Chaki, a Yellow Cab driver, said he was called in for police questioning Aug. 24 after a passenger reported a stolen iPod and cell phone.

Chaki said Detective Jason Routzahn asked if he was Muslim, then told him "you guys are all thieves." Routzahn later pushed him so hard he fell into a chair, Chaki said.

Routzahn did not return requests for comment Thursday.

[Last modified October 13, 2006, 01:36:26]