The family of a Muslim boy who was arrested after bringing a homemade clock to school have sued Texas school officials, saying they violated the 14-year-old boy's civil rights.

The lawsuit was filed Monday on behalf of Ahmed Mohamed. The teen was arrested at his suburban Dallas high school in September and charged with having a hoax bomb.

He says he brought the homemade clock to school to show his teacher. The charge was later dropped, but he was still suspended.

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Ahmed Mohamed shows the clock he built in a school pencil box to reporters after a news conference in Dallas on Monday

The family of 'clock boy' Ahmed Mohamed have filed a lawsuit against the Irving Independent School District, the city of Irving and the school's principal. Ahmed, 14, pictured with his mother, Muna Ahmed Ibraham and his father Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed last September

Mohamed was arrested at school after he brought this homemade clock to class last year. His English teacher thought the clock was a homemade bomb

The lawsuit names Irving Independent School District, the city of Irving and the school's principal. A district spokeswoman says the district would release a statement later Monday.

Ahmed looks stunned as he is put in handcuffs at school on the day that he was arrested

The family has since moved to Qatar, citing threats and a scholarship offered to Ahmed in the Persian Gulf country.

Ahmed spent this summer back in Texas, after spending eight months studying in Qatar.

During the school year, he says he visited the Islamic holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia with his family.

He will return to Qatar next month to start 10th grade at Qatar Academy, a private school in Doha.

Ahmed showed off the clock on Monday during a news conference with his parents and attorneys.

'For the safety of my family, I have to go back to Qatar, because right now it's not very safe for my family or for anyone who's a minority,' Ahmed said during Monday's news conference.

While in Texas, Ahmed said, he has to wear a hat, sunglasses and a hoodie.

'I can't walk out of the house without being covered up because I might get shot because that happens here,' he said. 'I really love the States. It's my home. But I couldn't stay. I get death threats.'

He added: 'I have lost a lot of things. I lost my home, I lost my creativity because before I used to love building things but now I can't. I lost my security.'

The teen's parents, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed and Muna Ibrahim, have not found work yet in Qatar, so the family of eight is living in government housing and on food vouchers, Mohamed said on Monday.

Ahmed previously said he missed the diversity in America, and hoped his story could serve as a positive talking point about the challenges Muslims face.

'I want to help change Texas for a better state, and I hope that not just for Texas, but the entire world,' he said. 'People sometimes don't want to admit their mistakes, and sometimes the best thing to do is to help them change.'

The teenager received an outpouring of support on social media following his arrest, and President Barack Obama even invited him to the White House.

Ahmed was invited to the White House by President Obama, when it was revealed that the box was a harmless clock

The publicity also made him subject to online harassment, but Mohamed said he chooses to take the high road and not let negative comments bother him.

Ahmed said he built the clock in his bedroom in about 20 minutes using a circuit board, a digital display and several wires.

He enclosed the device into a pencil case with a tiger hologram on the front.

Ahmed said he first showed his invention to his engineering teacher, who gave him some advice.

'He was like, "That's really nice. I would advise you not to show that to other teachers."'

He kept the clock in his bag, but it started to beep later in the day during an English class. He showed his clock to the teacher who said it looked like a bomb.

He said he made the clock using a circuit board, a digital display and put it into a metal 'pencil box'.

The teenager said he did not lock the box as he 'did not want it to look suspicious'. Instead he secured it with a cable.