Newark Mayor Cory Booker is answering questions today after it was revealed that his police department aided the NYPD in surveillance operations on Muslim residents.
STORY: Brick City! NYPD Spied On Muslims In Newark
Booker told the NJ’s Star Ledger that had he been informed the NYPD was conducting blanket surveillance of Newark residents he would have never allowed it.
Booker said by phone:
“I have deep concerns and I am very disturbed that this might have been surveillance that was based on no more than religious affiliation.”
As we reported earlier, the NYPD conducted widespread surveillance of Newark Muslims as part of a counter-terrorism operation that has stretched across at least three states.
While Newark officials are still gathering details, city leaders said that former police director Garry McCarthy was informed of the 2007 investigation and detailed a detective to provide a city tour to NYPD investigators.
Booker went on to say that:
“If there was reason to investigate, if there was cause, I have no problem with that. But what I do have a problem with any surveillance that was done where the only provocation for that surveillance was religious belief. That, to me, strikes against some of my fundamental ideals as an American.”
Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio said the department’s involvement was minimal, saying that the NPD only assisted by showing NYPD officers different areas around the city.
DeMaio said:
“The total involvement of the Newark Police Department was taking them around and showing them around the city to the areas that they were interested in.
That was for a day, I believe. I conducted interviews with the people that were there at that time. Our detectives conducted no surveillance and didn’t participate in any surveillance.”
It’s really a shame that the NYPD is resorting to these tactics in the name of countering terrorism. It is completely unjust to suspect a group of a particular crime simply on the basis of religion.
Below is a link to the document that contains the NYPD reports. Newark, N.J.: http://apne.ws/wBk7Hg
