Linklaters Secures Landmark Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act Settlement for Muslims on Long Island in Bethpage Mosque Case

Linklaters is proud to announce a landmark settlement on behalf of Muslims on Long Island, Inc. (MOLI) resolving litigation against the Town of Oyster Bay under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), and the federal and state constitutions. The agreement clears the way for MOLI to build a long-awaited house of worship in Bethpage, New York. 
 
Under the Proposed Consent Order filed in federal court today, the Town of Oyster Bay will approve MOLI’s mosque application to replace two existing structures with a single new facility, able to meet the needs of the mosque’s congregation. The Town will also amend its parking ordinance, known as Local Law No. 6, by repealing a provision that imposed heightened parking burdens on houses of worship. The Town will also pay $3.95 million to MOLI, inclusive of attorneys’ fees and costs. Lastly, the Town has committed to timely approve permits and to cooperate with state and local entities to ensure construction moves forward without obstruction.
 
The settlement follows nearly eight months of litigation, preceded by six years that MOLI spent seeking municipal approval for its new mosque. During discovery, Plaintiffs exposed serious flaws in the Town’s justifications for denying the mosque—including fabricated testimony about a “grandmother” witness who never existed, and internal reliance on a deposition “cheat sheet” of evasive answers provided to a key witness. These revelations demonstrated that the Town’s purported concerns about traffic, parking, and safety were pretextual. The case also garnered the backing of the U.S. Department of Justice, which issued a Statement of Interest in support of MOLI in April.
 
Muhammad Faridi, a Partner at Linklaters, said:

“This case has always been about protecting the basic right of religious communities to worship freely. The record developed in this litigation showed that the Town’s denial was built on falsehoods and evasions. This settlement ensures that MOLI can finally build a house of worship that welcomes neighbors and strengthens the fabric of the community.”

 
Diana Conner, a Partner at Linklaters, said:

“We are honored to stand with MOLI in securing this outcome. The settlement not only remedies years of discrimination but also affirms the principle that zoning laws cannot be used to obstruct the free exercise of religion.”
  

Peter Vogel, an associate at Linklaters, added:

“The outcome underscores the importance of persistent advocacy. By exposing fabricated testimony and evasive defenses, our team held the Town accountable and achieved a result that vindicates core constitutional rights.”

This outcome was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of a dedicated team. From Linklaters, plaintiffs were also represented by Julia Long, Nadav Ben Zur, Kailyn LaPorte, Niraje Medley-Bacon, Dalia Elmelige, Ty Cadogan, and Matthew Gallot-Baker, with support from Project Assistant Sophie Balmagiya.
 
The team also benefited from the contributions of Shaun Carr, Jacob Chefitz, Emma Ellman-Golan, Gautam Rao, Yoni Schenker, Ben Seymour, and Jonah Wacholder, who previously worked on the case.

“This was truly a team victory,” added Faridi. “The persistence and dedication of colleagues over more than two years made this outcome possible and secured long-overdue justice for MOLI.”