Muslim marine’s death not suicide, says family

CHARLESTON, SC — The family of the Taylor man who died during Marines Corps training is pushing back against claims by military officials that he committed suicide.

Raheel Siddiqui, 20, was in basic training with the Marines on Parris Island in South Carolina when he died March 18 after falling 40 feet in a stairwell.

Marine officials have said that Siddiqui killed himself, but in a statement released through their attorney, Shiraz Khan, the family said "we do not believe the story of Raheel committing suicide."

"We believe there is a lack of material evidence needed to support ‘suicide’ as the most probable cause of death in this case," the family said through Khan.

Siddiqui didn’t have any "disqualifying conditions, medical or otherwise, during recruiting and processing into the U.S. Marine Corps,” Khan said. "It’s impossible for his family and friends to accept that he took his own life."

Siddiqui, who was Pakistani-American Muslim, may have been targeted because of his ethnicity and religion, said family members.

A daily newspaper first reported the allegations from investigators that Siddiqui was abused, adding that investigators found that the drill sergeant told the previous Muslim recruit he was a terrorist and involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks and once stuffed him into a clothes dryer.

The drill sergeant also reportedly called Siddiqui a terrorist.

Nabih Ayad, the previous attorney for the family, has said that shortly before Siddiqui died, the drill sergeant smacked the recruit after he became unresponsive. Ayad has said that Marines officials told the family that Siddiqui had told his supervisors in a note that he was suicidal, a claim the family thought was absurd because he was known to be a positive person.

Twenty personnel in the Marines could face disciplinary action tied to the case, officials have said.

The family has called for justice for all, regardless of their faith.

US Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) and others have previously called for a full accounting of what happened to Siddiqui.