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FEBRUARY 13, 2001

The motives behind the Miami Nation's lawsuit to reclaim 2.6 million acres of land in Illinois are being questioned as some say the Oklahoma tribe wants to settle only to open a casino.

The tribe denies the suggestion and says the state was the first to suggest the idea. A state attorney who declined to be identified by The Washington Post says they have talked about the issue since 1991 but rejected casino settlements because it would limit their sovereignty.

The tribe has a financial backer who is also backing the Golden Hill Paugusett Tribe of Connecticut. The state-recognized tribe wants to open a casino in Bridgeport but hasn't yet received final word on their federal recognition.

Although The Post says the tribe's lawsuit could result in the eviction of private landowners, no land claim in the history of the country has ever resulted in such an action.

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Tribal Land Claim Meets Resistance in Illinois (The Washington Post 2/13)