Close X
Friday, December 13, 2024
ADVT 
International

At last New York Police ends spying on Muslims

Darpan News Desk IANS, 15 Apr, 2014 11:01 PM
     New York Police Department has disbanded a controversial surveillance unit started after the September 11, 2001, attacks to catalogue information on Muslim businesses and mosques across the New York region.
     
    Developed with the CIA's help after 9/11, the so-called Demographics Unit-or Zone Assessment Unit-has been the target of controversy and civil lawsuits.
     
    "Understanding certain local demographics can be a useful factor when assessing information regarding potential threats coming to the attention of the New York City Police Department," the department said in a statement Tuesday.
     
    But "it has been determined that much of the same information previously gathered by the Zone Assessment Unit may be obtained through direct outreach by the NYPD to the communities concerned," it said.
     
    Muslim Advocates and the Centre for Constitutional Rights, two advocacy groups that filed a lawsuit challenging the unit and its activities in 2012, said they were pleased it had been disbanded but want to ensure the surveillance stops.
     
    Welcoming the dismantling of the unit "as a long overdue step towards reining in the unconstitutional excesses of the NYPD" they said in a joint statement, "what has to stop is the practice of suspicion-less surveillance of Muslim communities, not just the unit assigned to do it."
     
    "We will continue to work, through litigation and advocacy, to ensure the NYPD is fully and finally respecting the rights of the Muslim community."
     
    That suit, Hassan v. City of New York, was dismissed in February and is currently under appeal.
     
    The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also welcomed the disbanding of the surveillance unit.
     
    "This is an important first step. However, the damage of unconstitutional mass spying on people solely on the basis of their religion has already been carried out and must be addressed," said Board President Ryan Mahoney.
     
    "We need to hear from the mayor and NYPD officials that the policy itself has been ended and that the department will no longer apply mass surveillance or other forms of biased and predatory policing to any faith-based community," he said.
     
    "Our administration has promised the people of New York a police force that keeps our city safe, but that is also respectful and fair," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
     
    "This reform is a critical step forward in easing tensions between the police and the communities they serve, so that our cops and our citizens can help one another go after the real bad guys," he said in a statement Tuesday.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian-origin actress suing BBC for racism

    Indian-origin actress suing BBC for racism
    An Indian-origin actress is suing BBC for up to one million pounds ($1.6 million) for a racist remark made by the host of a popular motor show, media reported Friday.

    Indian-origin actress suing BBC for racism

    Currency Corner: Aussie Kangarooing Its Way To Parity Against Dollar?

    Currency Corner: Aussie Kangarooing Its Way To Parity Against Dollar?
    As we come to the end of the first quarter of 2014-15, there were soft movements in all the forex majors in Wednesday's trading session with the exception of the Australian dollar. The Aussie took out the 92 cents level against the US dollar and is now trading 7 percent above its mid January low of around 87 cents.

    Currency Corner: Aussie Kangarooing Its Way To Parity Against Dollar?

    Turkey shuts down YouTube

    Turkey shuts down YouTube
    Turkey's Telecommunications Directorate Thursday blocked access to popular social network Youtube hours after a leaked voice recording of a high-level security meeting on Syria was published on this website, the media reported.

    Turkey shuts down YouTube

    Special court judge, order stay in Musharraf case

    Special court judge, order stay in Musharraf case
    Justice Faisal Arab, who heads the special court set up to try former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf for high treason, remains part of the court and the order calling for the ex-military strongman's appearance March 31 stands, the court said Thursday.

    Special court judge, order stay in Musharraf case

    NASA to turn astronauts into fashionistas!

    NASA to turn astronauts into fashionistas!
    The next space suit for a NASA astronaut may resemble some Hollywood characters as the US space agency is all set to turn budding astronauts into cool dudes!

    NASA to turn astronauts into fashionistas!

    300 more objects spotted, bad weather disrupts jet search

    300 more objects spotted, bad weather disrupts jet search
    Over 300 new objects were spotted by satellites of Thailand and Japan in or near the search area in the southern Indian Ocean where Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is believed to have been “lost” but bad weather Thursday forced Australian authorities to suspend the search operation, it was announced.

    300 more objects spotted, bad weather disrupts jet search