NYC Islamic Activists Urge Muslims To Keep Terror Concerns From Cops
- Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:39am by
Buck Sexton
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(The Blaze/AP) — Fed up with a decade of the police spying on the innocuous details of the daily lives of Muslims, activists in New York are discouraging people from going directly to the police with their concerns about terrorism, a campaign that is certain to further strain relations between the two groups.
Muslim community leaders are openly teaching people how to identify police informants, encouraging them to always talk to a lawyer before speaking with the authorities and reminding people already working with law enforcement that they have the right to change their minds. Some members of the community have planned a demonstration for next week.
Some government officials point to this type of outreach as proof that Muslims aren’t cooperating in the fight against terrorism, justifying the aggressive spy tactics, while many in the Muslim community view it as a way to protect themselves from getting snared in a secret police effort to catch terrorists.
As a result, one of America’s largest Muslim communities – in a city that’s been attacked twice and targeted more than a dozen times – is caught in a downward spiral of distrust with the nation’s largest police department: The New York City Police Department spies on Muslims, which makes them less likely to trust police. That reinforces the belief that the community is secretive and insular, a belief that current and former NYPD officials have said was one of the key reasons for spying in the first place.
The outreach campaign follows an Associated Press investigation that revealed the NYPD had dispatched plainclothes officers to eavesdrop in Muslim communities, often without any evidence of wrongdoing. Restaurants serving Muslims were identified and photographed. Hundreds of mosques were investigated, and dozens were infiltrated. Police used the information to build ethnic databases on daily life inside Muslim neighborhoods.
Many of these programs were developed with the help of the CIA.
At a recent “Know Your Rights” session for Brooklyn College students, someone asked why Muslims who don’t have anything to hide should avoid talking to police.
“Most of the time it’s a fishing expedition,” answered Ramzi Kassem, a law professor at the City University of New York. “So the safest thing you can do for yourself, your family and for your community, is not to answer.”
New York Republican Rep. Peter King said this kind of reaction from the Muslim community is “disgraceful.”
Muslim groups have previously organized educational programs around the country describing a person’s legal rights, such as when they must present identification to a police officer and when they can refuse to answer police questions. A California chapter of a national Muslim organization posted a poster on its website that warned Muslims not to talk to the FBI. The national organization ultimately asked the California branch to remove the poster from the website.
In New York, the AP stories about the NYPD and internal police documents have outraged some Muslims and provided evidence of tactics that they suspected were being used to watch them all along. These disclosures have intensified the outreach campaigns in New York.
A recently distributed brochure from the City University of New York Law School warns people to be wary when confronted by someone who advocates violence against the U.S., discusses terror organizations, is overly generous or is aggressive in their interactions. The brochure said that person could be a police informant.
“Be very careful about involving the police,” the brochure said. “If the individual is an informant, the police may not do anything … If the individual is not an informant and you report them, the unintended consequences could be devastating.”
Sweeping skepticism of police affects community relations with all levels of law enforcement on a wide range of issues, not just the NYPD’s counterterrorism programs. Interactions with a real terror operative could go unreported to law enforcement out of an assumption that the operative is actually working for the NYPD. A victim of domestic abuse or street violence may not trust the police enough to call for help.
Retired New York FBI agent Don Borelli said intelligence gathering is key to police work, not just in terrorism cases. But he said it can backfire when people feel their rights are being violated.
“When they do, these kinds of programs are actually counterproductive, because they undermine trust and drive a wedge between the community and police,” said Borelli, now a security consultant with the Soufan Group.
Since the 2001 terror attacks, the NYPD, city government officials and federal law enforcement have spent years building relationships with the New York Muslim community, assuring many Muslims that they are considered partners in the city’s fight against terrorism. But in some cases, community members who have been hailed as partners and even dined with Mayor Michael Bloomberg were secretly followed by the NYPD or worked in mosques that the department had infiltrated, according to secret NYPD documents obtained by the AP.
“There’s not a reference here to the fact that New York is the No. 1 target of Islamic terrorists, that the NYPD and the FBI have protected New York,” King said, referring to one of the recent brochures about detecting police informants.
King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has held a series of hearings about the threat of radicalization within American Muslim communities and the level of cooperation members of the community provide to law enforcement. Muslim and civil rights advocacy groups have decried the hearings and pointed to terror cases around the country in which members of the Muslim community helped law enforcement foil plots.
New York Muslim community groups say they‘ve held dozens of meetings for people who are worried about police surveillance and the NYPD’s counterterrorism programs. In one instance, an audience of college students watched as a law student played out the role of a police informant and another played the role of the person the informant was targeting. The goal was to teach people to spot informants.
“Stay away from these people. That’s one of the most powerful things you can do,” said Robin Gordon-Leavitt, a member of an advocacy organization Creating Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility.
At another meeting, organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, students watched a film of two actors portraying FBI agents talking their way into a young Muslim’s home and interrogating him. At the meeting, students were warned not to speak with police even if their parents, imams or Muslim clerics urge them to cooperate.
“You’ll even hear imams saying, `As long as I obey the law, I have nothing to worry about.‘ But that’s not how it plays out on the ground,” said Cyrus McGoldrick, CAIR New York’s civil rights manager.
CAIR has had a strained relationship with law enforcement and was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a terrorist financing case.
The Muslim community wants an independent commission to investigate all NYPD and CIA operations in the Muslim community.
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Comments (51)
Thevoice
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 1:05pmAgain, and Again,and Again ….You are kidding yourself if you believe there isn’t going to be a day you will have to do what needed to be done 9/12 ..Send the Muslim world one message ..When you see our armies wave a white flag of surrender or stand and die for your misguided beliefs .Then destroy to surrender and victory. anything short ..Your slowly losing. Till it’s all gone ..(your freedom, liberties and country) They hit us with a decapitation strike ..Which at this point the financial part has worked. The military part your scattered all over looking for needles in hay stacks .and wasting resources on good will ..That’s insane .and the political part ..Just look who’s in the white house…Now in short order they will link arms in the middle east and at some point we (and Israel) will have a loaded nuclear gun pointed at our head. and why ? Because we turned away from doing what needed to be done .People have a extremely hard time accepting the fact that evil has used a religion this time as its attacker. So one day at some point we will sit there saying …Gee if we only had ..This would have never happened..Just wait …
Report Post »amrcn
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 7:53pmWake up America….muslims are pig sucking terrorist infidels who want the destruction of America so they can try to take it over….they are not loyal to this country….they hide and refuse to report their own terrorists…..do not believe them…..they are a cult from Satan himself and we need to send them a message that this is a Christian country and their murdering ignorant will never be respected here.
Report Post »showmerancher
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:27pmFair enough. The rest of us will adopt the same policy regarding impending violence against Muslims; especially that which is recent and credible. We also don’t need to report violence against Democrats; we’ll leave that to OWS internal security to sort out.
Report Post »blackstone22
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:21pmThanks to Peter King and the NYPD.
Report Post »great article
PCistheDevil
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:35pmI appreciate Peter King and the others who refuse to put their heads in the sand. I liked cains stance on Islam as well though he back peddled a bit. Here is a Video Of Herman Cain Confronting a Pro Islam President Obama. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkcmoKRzLww
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 4:21pmYes, thank-you sir for this informative article.
Report Post »ares338
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:14pmHow dare those pesky police hold back the holy jihad! I don’t know about you but I will always view Islam with a jaundiced eye. They can Ally Oop Snackbar all day long…..I DON’T TRUST THEM?
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:19pmOur new all American muslims??? They should be thrown out of the States for aiding and abating the enemy.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:27pmI always think about Thomas Jefferson… when he learned of the Muslim Faith in Europe… he could not believe it… so he contracted for a Book of the Koran in English… and declared that these people must be Primitive and Ignorant!
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:10pmThe muslim community can kiss my ass!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:04pmAhh the true “secret society” is feeling the heat? God Bless the NYPD you have a totally thankless job.
Report Post »carbonyes
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:27pmCAIR is anti-American and need to be watched very closely as they have been engaged in anti-American activities. Do your thing NYPD, for our Federal government sure as Hell will not, including the FBI.
Report Post »B-Neil
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:56amEvery Organization has a snitch policy, that includes the Police. Fear of reprisals from the good guy‘s and the bad guy’s is real. Its sad but true. Sometimes you have to think of the better good not just your Organization. Our first responders need as much help as possible. Anonymous; is a very good word. Save our Country, save our way of life. Don’t just live in America, be an American. CARRY ON McDUFF
Report Post »getourcountryback
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:55amIf they want to be American more power to them but it seems that they just want to be a muslim in America. There is a BIG difference. Either you are an American and endorse American ways or you do not. If you do not, then you are welcome to leave and good riddance to you.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 1:11pmThe way it should be-
Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
‘In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good
Report Post »faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an
exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any
such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the
person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American…
There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American,
but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag,
the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the
English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a
loyalty to the American people.’
NHwinter
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 2:01pmAjayw – Wouldn’t we all love to hear President Obama say those very words. If he can’t say them, he is anti-American. The heck with PC crap, enough.
Report Post »thegodfather
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:45amTranslation from muslim leaders.: ..”Will you blabbermouths quit ratting us out or we’ll never get another bomb set off”
Report Post »gwssacredcause
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:45amIf the ultimate goal of the NYPD was to determine if certain Muslims would actually turn in a terrorist threat they accomplished their goal. It seems they also got an accurate picture of the ones that do not want Muslims to cooperate.
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:36amIt’s just like OWS handling rapes internally and not going to the cops. Way to go religion of peace (not).
Report Post »nueces
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:33amTry to remember: Islam is a religion of peace. Yeah, like National Socialism was the philosophy that would improve the DNA structure of the whole world. Once the Mullahs own us body and soul we shall have peace. Uh Huh. Islam is a virulent cancer metastasizing the globe. It will never reform. Never stop. One day in the not too distant future there will be a great great massacre. It will make the Crusades look like nothing. I can’t wait to see the Sunnis and Shia go at it as a run up to the main event.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:31amMost of the time it’s a fishing expedition,” answered Ramzi Kassem, a law professor at the City University of New York. “So the safest thing you can do for yourself, your family and for your community, is not to answer.”
Report Post »ofcourse this guy will keep his job. unbelievable what our society has become when TEACHERS keep jobs after undermining the job of the cia, fbi, and nypd and instruct others to do so. I am beyond sick of these stories. what a peaceful honest religion.
CatB
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:52amI agree .. we used to have laws against treason .. now it seems “acceptable”.
Report Post »TheBurningTruth
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:30amThere is no such a thing as a “moderate” ******** as this article shows. Moderates would be happy to work with the authorities to ensure no future attacks occur instead of trying to block out the police.
Consider their actions in the Middle East, and remember that actions DO speak louder than words. Whenever on group “negotiates” with an infidel, the more radicals in that group break away and form another group. Being the more radical, they’re usually into violence as well. While this is happening, the “moderates” may stand back and watch, but as a group, they do NOT assist in foiling any plots. The logical consequence of this is that we infidels (non moooslimes) can ONLY deal with the most radical factions to get an agreeable solution. The problem is that by definition, the most radical factions simply want us DEAD, and aren’t interested in negotiating anything but our surrender.
Moderates just hide in the middle, and a time is coming where there won’t be any middle.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:28amI am a former Special Agent, US Army Counterintelligence Corps. To determine if there is a specific threat hard intelligence is needed. Surveillance and developing informants are standard tools to collect HUMINT. Sorry that the muslims don’t like it. But it was not the Swedes who attacked the USS Cole, the US embassies, the Marine Corps Barracks-Lebanon, and 9/11. If it was, we would be fighting our war in Sweden and profiling anyone with a Swedish name.
Silence by “peaceful” muslims and the kind of advise now given by muslim community leaders just reinforces my belief that the NYPD is doing the right thing.
Keep up the good work NYPD. Thank you.
Report Post »CulperGang
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:23ambug the mosques and send them to gitmo. deport their families. in 10 years problem gone. start with that kenyan dreg in the WH. send him to gitmo. send the wife and kids to kenya or the the communist country of their own. they are filth.
Report Post »Junter
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:23amNext step Muslims will establish Shariah law in the US… first comes the turning away of US laws and establishing their own next comes the take over of the US from within. Sound far fetched? Wait and see.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:54amNot far fetched .. especially if you leave near Dearborn Michigan .. and now TLC is doing a tv show to HELP THEM! Trying to show they are “just like you” .. they are not!
Report Post »Drum Man
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:19amThey (Muslims) have tought us how to treat them. They are NOT to be trusted.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:17amI don’t trust ANY “practicing” Muslim…… Period!
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:24amNeither do I. They are all after the same goal of dominating the world with islam the political system hidden in their terrorist based faith.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:01amThe Quron only teaches one message, Islam is the same for all, they just have different roles! What part of that does people not understand?
Report Post »makeemstop
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:59amPerhaps we should make wire taps mandatory for certain citizens and visitors? Is 24X7 surveillance asking too much?
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:52amI already treat all muslims as suspect. They are all TOO SILENT about the terrorists in their midst.
Report Post »This will not change. Get used to it CAIR. We have your number.
JLGunner
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:18amI agree and if anyone wants to label me as a racist or intolerant, oh well, you’re wasting your time. I don’t care. There is a common denominator here. I will not turn a blind eye to it.
Report Post »Will4Freedom
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:52amI can’t fault them here. Unfortunately it happens too often that an innocent person trying to do the right thing by talking to police gets his own words twisted or interpreted to mean something totally different. Sometimes resulting in more trouble than thanks.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:50amYes, but their paranoia and need for security is building the structure needed to completely enslave and persecute Americans when the time comes.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:52amMeanwhile Socialists and Sharia believing Muslims are trickling into positions of power.
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 11:22amAnd we are to be tolerant and embrace diversity. Bull!
Report Post »Halo9x
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 10:49amWhich is all the more reason why Muslims should go back to wherever they came from. Islam teaches there are no true innocents which is how they justify 9/11. All non-Muslims are fair game, especially Christians and Jews. They will never melt into America anymore than they have Europe. I don’t hate the people, just their false religion. Muslims, you have been lied to by the father of lies, Satan and his false prophet, Mohammed!
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