Appeals Court Rules Muslims Can Build 1st Mosque In Carmel

CARMEL, Ind. (AP) — The Indiana Court of Appeals says a Muslim congregation can build the first mosque in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel.

The court on Tuesday ruled against five people who had sued to stop the construction of the Islamic center more than a year after city officials approved the project.

The Indianapolis Star reports the ruling reversed a lower court decision and upheld an argument by the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals that the plaintiffs failed to file all the necessary paperwork in time to proceed with a lawsuit. A Hamilton Superior Court decision would have granted the opponents extra time to file the required documents.

The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-2 in February 2 018 to approve the Al Salam Foundation's proposal to construct mosque.