The New York Police Department admitted last year that spying on Muslims was a massive waste of resources, money and time. A recent report reveals that the NYPD placed mosques under heavy surveillance by labeling the Islamic houses of worship as terrorists organizations.
The AP obtained a series of documents which lists the NYPD’s use of a TEI, or Terrorist Enterprise Investigation, which gave the department due cause to use informants to enter mosques, record sermons, spy on leaders and more. Any mosque labeled as a terrorism enterprise also allowed NYPD officials to name attendees as potential suspects as well.
Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio said via Twitter on Wednesday (August 28) that the revelation left him “deeply troubled “ and angered that the department “labeled entire mosques & Muslim [as] terror groups with seemingly no leads.”
Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Mike Bloomberg have denied involvement, with Kelly going on record on MSNBC’s Morning Joe program this week saying the investigations began after the 9/11 attacks. The TEI tactic was so pervasive, the NYPD was intending to place undercover operatives on the boards of New York’s Islamic institutions and organizations.
According to the report, some cases remained open until recently as 2009. The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have sued the department for discrimination and racial profiling.
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Photo: Animal
