NEW YORK: Muslim-Americans in New Jersey said they filed a lawsuit on Wednesday demanding the New York Police Department stop its surveillance of mosques, businesses, college campuses and other gathering spots as part of its anti-terrorism campaign.
The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in US District Court in Newark, New Jersey, on behalf of several Muslim organisations, private businesses and individuals, said Muslim Advocates, a national civil rights group.
It asks the court to prohibit further monitoring of the Muslim community in New Jersey by the NYPD and to eliminate any record created by past spying by police.
A copy of the lawsuit - the first filed against the police department over its controversial surveillance - was provided by the plaintiffs' lawyers. A stamped copy of the complaint was not immediately available.
While the monitoring has outraged the Muslim community, it has been largely supported by New York City voters, who overwhelmingly say the NYPD has been effective in combating terrorism, according to recent polls.
Asked to comment on the lawsuit, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne pointed to a report by New Jersey Attorney General's Office, which found after a three-month probe of the surveillance program that the NYPD did nothing wrong.
"NYPD activities in New Jersey were lawful, appropriate and in keeping with efforts there, in New York, and around the world to prevent terrorists from returning here to kill more New Yorkers," Browne said in an email, referring to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
In the lawsuit, Muslim-Americans said they decided to go to court "to affirm the principle that individuals may not be singled out for intrusive investigation and pervasive surveillance simply because they profess a certain faith."
The blanket surveillance by the NYPD "casts guilt on all people of that faith by suggesting that Muslims pose a special threat to public safety" and, as a result, Muslims who live in New Jersey suffer "significant stigma," the lawsuit said.
The suit was filed on behalf of several Muslim organisations, private businesses and individuals. Among them is Syed Farhaj Hassan, 35, of New Jersey, a decorated Army soldier who served 14 months in Iraq, in a military intelligence unit.
As an observant Muslim, Hassan worships at four different mosques in New Jersey, the lawsuit said.
After learning those mosques were under NYPD surveillance, he has lessened his attendance at worship services in order to distance himself out of fear that an association with the mosques would, in the short term, damage his security clearance and, in the long term, his career prospects, the lawsuit said.
One of the businesses named in the lawsuit is Unity Beef Sausage Company, a halal meat supplier, meaning it observes Islamic dietary laws.
Since the Newark business has come under surveillance, customers have been staying away, telling the owner they feel uncomfortable in light of the spying, the lawsuit said.
The owner, too, is jittery and concerned that anyone who walks in or watches from across the street might by an NYPD spy, the lawsuit said.
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US has already made it difficult to get a visa if you have a Muslim name or have visited a Muslim majority country like Pakistan, Iran, Saudi,etc. So, thats one loophole closed.
But, the problem is what about naturalized citizens of America? Under law they cant be driven out of their homes.
I say value of a single life is much more precious than the supposed privacy of any individual. Its not like the US is spying on all of the citizens of American but only a select few.
If Pakistanis feel so insulted then they are free to not go to US nor any other European country. I hear the lines in front of US consulate is very long. What hypocrisy.
This is really bad. But the Mullahs must also not use a place of worship to preach hatred. Both sides are at fault here.
Orwell was right. 1984 indeed.
Nothing new, USA has always kept its citizens at watch,which explains why they have the least terrorists attacks in the world...
During WWII,they kept watch of its Japanese immigrants and made sure that no Japanese-American was sent to Asia
After WW,they kept a watch on all its Italian Americans as they were notorious for their underworld activities(mafia gangs)
Still,they monitor the blacks and the Latin Americans as they're the importers and distributors of Drugs....also of Eastern Europeans as they run illegal brothels
But they no longer monitor the Italians and Japanese because they stopped their negative activities and acted as law-abiding citizens....
Rather than getting into defensive mode,Muslims should work towards the progress of the nation and prove that their religion doesnt mean they will support elements who are against the national interests of US.
USA keeps surveillance on all it's citizens. Why does muslim community think they ae special and should not be subjected to surveillance ? Instead of feeling guilt, how about muslim take a stand against anybody who makes any hate speech in mosque or brain wash people to accept the path of Jihad. Is this not heard of ? Is this not a fact that there are many youths who get recruited in those mosques and religious meets ? Muslim community has brought itself a bad name by not stopping extremists in their community and not even help others to punish those extremists. Muslims get easily provoked if a fellow muslim is found to be terrorist and they play religious card every single time a muslim brother is accused of terrorism inspite of all facts pointing that the person is a culprit. if muslims had helped capture the extremists amongst them like people of other faith do, they would not need to be put under surveillance and they will not feel any guilt and moreover they will be uplifting their own community.
Too bad that most of the terrorists justify their acts based on their faith. There is no stigma if the intelligence agencies keep a tab on potential terrorists and is perfectly legal defensive measures. However, if they were detaining innocent people or 'disappearing' or torturing them, then it would be problematic.
Way to go...!