AG disturbed by NYPD Muslim spying program in NJ

Attorney General Eric Holder / AP Photo

(AP) WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday he's disturbed by what he's read about the New York Police Department conducting surveillance of mosques and Islamic student organizations in New Jersey.

Holder said the Justice Department is reviewing the matter, including letters from New Jersey officials complaining that they were kept in the dark about the surveillance.

The attorney general's remarks came at a subcommittee hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee when asked by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., how one law enforcement agency could spy on another state's residents without notifying authorities. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker were apparently "unaware of this large-scale investigation," Lautenberg said.

"I don't know," Holder replied. "We are in the process of reviewing the letters that have come in expressing concerns about those matters."

"At least what I've read publicly, and again, just what I've read in the newspapers, is disturbing," Holder said. "And these are things that are under review at the Justice Department."

The New York police monitored Muslims in New Jersey at businesses and their mosques in a surveillance operation that was disclosed recently by The Associated Press in a series of news stories.

Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., on "face the Nation," Sunday, February 26, 2012

/ CBS/Chris Usher

The attorney general said he has spoken to Gov. Christie, who strongly emphasized his concerns about the surveillance program.

Holder said that at a reception several days ago, Christie "expressed to me the concerns that he had" and that the New Jersey governor "has now publicly expressed his concerns as only he can."

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Christie has criticized the New York Police Department for what he and other New Jersey officials have described as less than full coordination and disclosure to them of what was going on.

Holder didn't say whether he was more concerned about the lack of coordination or the surveillance itself.

Religious leaders of different faiths are joining with New Jersey Muslims in demanding reassurance from authorities that no one is being spied on because of their faith.

At an event in Jersey City featuring mosque, synagogue and church leaders Thursday, several speakers expressed solidarity with Muslims who felt that reports of the New York Police Department conducting surveillance of mosques and Muslim student groups in New Jersey and elsewhere had crossed the line beyond acceptable counter-terrorism methods.

NYPD officials have defended their operations in New Jersey as legal and warranted.

Several Muslim leaders renewed their calls Thursday for a state investigation into the matter.

[credibility2]

The AG is disturbed by this, yet doesn't bat an eye at the routine subjecting of innocent travelers at airports to being unduly searched, humiliated and degraded, suspected of being a terrorist, etc. This is much more egregious than keeping tabs on Muslims in this country. Travelers would not be subjected to outrageous actions by the government and TSA were it not for the actions of Muslim extremists on 9/11 and beyond. It seems a fair tradeoff to offend them in this regard, since none of them evidently care at all about how we're now being forcibly offended at airports.

[BlameRepublicanz]

i live in NYC and I hope the NYPD spies on every last muslim in this city...if they have no collaboration with terrorism, they have nothing to worry about...there is simply too much of a risk in this city...we liberals believe in national security unlike the stereotypes you hear from the right about us.

[sirmarion-2009]

Funny Holder does not like it when the NYPD does the spying on Islamic radical extremeists but thinks it is ok for the DOJ to do it on political pundits.

[smittyc]

Its a tough call. Of course everyone would be screaming if something got through and another 911 occured in N.Y. Example is many blamed GW for "allowing" 911 to happen. There is definitely politics, race and religion on the table concerning the criticism. Then there is the primary reason for the spying, there have been countless number of Muslims caught in the act, or plotting and planning a terrorist act on their fellow man. The Detroit bomber comes to mind here, he just got life for his attempt in blowing up the commercial flight with hundreds of people on board. In that instance, it was his incompetence and everyday Americans that won the day, not TSA or homeland security. The bigger picture is the spying is being done to protect the public, not demonize the Muslim community who could also have family members harmed in another terrorist attack. The critics have to face the reality, the spying on this community is occuring because it is the community where the terrorist attacks have originated, if it was from an Italian, Irish, or Greek community the same methods would be directed there. As far as different jurisdictions, well does Christie or the Mayor really think they would have kept their mouths shut? Don't they recognize that members of their own law enforcement community knew what was going on but knew better then to reveal the investigations to them. Did the Governor of Illinois know that he was being wiretapped when he was selling the vacant Senate seat? Hey Christie, Hey Mayor, you are not deemed trustworthy by your own security people and those people are Democrats and Republicans, blacks and whites as well.

[boatdocster]

Disturbed by spying on citizens here in the USA but it's OK to kill them abroad if you don't like them?

Something very wrong with that line of "logic"...

[zeusm0de]

What we see today is the result of a national security establishment gone wild for over a decade. The feds have funneled billions to engage in anti-terror escapades and required little or no accountability. NYPD spying is just the tip of the iceberg. The three highest income counties are in Virginia and Maryland, any ideas why? They make Wall Street look like puppies. Try occupying classified programs and budgets.

[ammo17]

i am disturbed that holder and his inner circle are not in jail yet for the murder of the two border patrolmen,and only GOD KNOWS HOW MANY INNOCENT MEXICAN CITIZENS were killed by "FAST&FURIOUS"NEVER MIND THE TREASON CHARGERS FOR AIDING AND ABETTING THE DRUG LORDS IN MEXICO WHO WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE AT WAR,BY SUPPLYING THEM WITH ASSAULT RIFLES.

[josephp5]

The worst thing about this NYPD spying is the stupidity of the investigation. They were not compiling any useful information for preventing terrorist attacks. In several instances they made absolutely incompetent mistakes (like confusing a Filipino grocery with an Muslim grocery). In fact, the information was so faulty that if used it probably would have hindered a genuine investigation. Furthermore, any cooperation the police may have gotten from the Muslim community has been set far back do to the breach of trust.

This was just a bunch of yahoo city cops that loved playing secret spy and were far too impressed with their own abilities.

[smittyc]

NYPD stopped the Times Square Bombing and many other terrorist attacked foiled were outside of NY indicating the terrorist were seeking softer targets. Having been a resident of NYC there was more than one time when both in the subways and on the street I was quite relieved to see a NYC cop suddenly appear. As far as confusing a Filopino grocery with a Muslim grocery, the Phillipines is majority muslim population so I am puzzled by your comment.

[ckp016c]

The next time something goes BOOM and buildings crumble don't blame the NYPD!

[SoCal_Gridlock]

slow.....Bill Clinton had the perfect, wide open opportunity to kill bin Laden in the late 90's. He was positively indentified and all our guys needed to take him out was Bill Clinton's go-ahead. But he did not have the 'nads to give the kill order.

[Herne42]

1. lift all sanctions and prohibitions on the planet.
2. Promote education.
3. denounce organized religion as a tool used by former world leaders as mass control devices.
...Terrorism/most organized crime will soon be forgotten.

N.Y.P.D actions are a direct violation of the United States Constitution. Period... U.S. Soldier's died for those rights. It would be very UN patriotic to let them die in vain.

Rich people are getting richer. And they are using human beings as guinea pigs. The tools this time are religion and paranoia.

Mass Media is the mouth...kinda like lord the rings i suppose. hmmm... scary.

War fueled by religion, paranoia and hate...have toppled empires in the past....and seems to be mostly the innocent that die.