The New Jersey
chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) said it is
"disappointed" with the state attorney general's apparent approval of the New
York Police Department's (NYPD) warrantless surveillance of law-abiding
Muslims.
A representative
of CAIR-NJ, along with other American Muslim leaders, took part in a meeting
Thursday afternoon at Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa's office in Trenton to
discuss concerns about the widespread spying conducted by the NYPD on the Muslim
community in New Jersey.
Following a
three-month review, Gov. Chris Christie's administration said the NYPD did not
violate New Jersey laws when it conducted surveillance of Muslim businesses,
mosques and student groups.
"The NYPD's
blanket surveillance of every segment of the Muslim community clearly violated
the constitutional rights of those who were spied on without evidence or even
suspicion of wrongdoing on their part," said CAIR-NJ Chair Nadia Kahf. "We are
disappointed with the outcome of the review conducted by the attorney general's
office and will consider all legal options, including renewed appeals for action
by the Department of Justice." CAIR
CAIR is
America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission
is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil
liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice
and mutual understanding. CAIR Chisea’s
findings come following an investigation spearheaded by the Associated Press
that revealed that NYPD officers had repeatedly traveled outside of the state
and the country to go on intelligence gathering missions aimed at Muslims around
the world. Often they dispatched undercover officers that conducted spy
operations under the command of a former Central Intelligence Agency official.
RT Attorney General
Jeffrey S. Chiesa, met with Muslim leaders on Thursday to outline the findings.
Afterward, one of the leaders, Aref Assaf of the American Arab Forum, said, “I
said to him it’s not only insulting, it’s offensive to our sense of justice,
that you bring us to Trenton to tell us that you accept as legal and valid the
actions of the NYPD”
AP Muslim leaders
said they would consider all legal options, including renewed appeals to the
federal Justice Department. AP
SAR/HJ
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