US Congressman calls for increased surveillance in Muslim neighbourhoods

Peter King says terrorism is coming from Muslim neighbourhoods


Web Desk November 16, 2015
PHOTO: AFP

US Congressman Peter King called for higher surveillance Muslim neighbourhoods across the country in the aftermath of deadly Paris attacks.

"We have to have more surveillance in the Muslim community,” Republican Peter King said in a radio interview on Sunday.

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“The reality is that’s where the terrorism is coming from. Doesn’t mean that all Muslims are evil, doesn’t mean all Muslims support terrorism, the overwhelming majority do not. But the reality is that’s where the threat is coming from,” he added.

Dismissing notions of political correctness and charges of racial profiling as "absolute nonsense" that will "cost human lives", King said French intelligence forces were looking for terrorists in the Muslim community.

“And right now in France, I don’t think the French intelligence forces are spending their time in the Catholic community or the Jewish community. Right now, they’re looking for terrorists in the Muslim community, and that is what we have to do,” he said.

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King pointed to instances in which the FBI heightened scrutiny in Irish and Italian neighbourhoods when those communities posed threats to public safety.

“And going back into the 60s and 70s, when the FBI knew threats from organised crime were coming from the Italian communities, they went to the Italian areas.”

Further, he said, “When they were going after the Westies, which are all Irish-American, they went to the Irish bars and the Irish neighbourhoods.”

The Republican also added, “If it turns out tomorrow it’s coming from Irish-Americans, then saturate the Irish communities, I have no problem with that.”

King said he was not advocating an internment-style programme, such as what Japanese-Americans were subject to in World War II, which he said “went too far.”

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“I’m talking about abiding by the Constitution, not violating anyone’s rights, but using good, ordinary police sense, and that’s let cops do their job on the ground, let them build up their sources, let them go to these areas where these terrorist possibilities are, and take whatever action has to be done,” he said.

The remarks come after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the multiple terror attacks in Paris that left at least 129 dead.

This article originally appeared on The Hill

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