New York – An editorial in today’s Hamodia slams the Associated Press for what it calls “a witch hunt” against the NYPD ,which has been keeping a watchful eye on Newark’s Muslim community for the last several years.
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A recent AP article blasted the NYPD for gathering information about Muslims living in Newark, which included building a database of information detailing Muslim stores, mosques, and businesses in addition to taking pictures and listening on conversations in these locations.
Quoting New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who called the reports “disturbing”, the AP article said that Christie was never contacted by the NYPD about the surveillance or any threat that would justify their efforts. Hamodia disputes this claim as a blatant lie, adding that the NYPD asked Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio, deputy chief of the department at the time, to show them around the city.
Another AP article released over the weekend described the NYPD’s efforts to monitor Muslim student associations in the Northeast, by tracking student websites and blogs, which have long been a hotbed of activity for terrorist efforts.
While Yale University President Richard Levin was outraged by the report, saying that surveillance based on religion, nationality or political opinions is totally unacceptable, Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the NYPD saying that Levin’s statements were without merit.
“I don’t know why keeping the country safe is antithetical to the values of Yale,” said Bloomberg. “Of course we’re going to look at anything that’s publicly available in the public domain. We have an obligation to do so and it is to protect the very things that let Yale survive.”
According to still another AP report issued today, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, deeply disturbed by the continued reports, is calling on United States Attorney General Eric Holder and CIA Director David Petraeus to investigate the NYPD for their surveillance efforts in Newark, questioning whether the NYPD followed appropriate protocols in their investigation.
While Hamodia staunchly defended the civil rights of every United States citizen, it questioned if anyone’s rights were violated by the surveillance and the AP’s seemingly dogged campaign to keep this issue in the news.
“The men and women of the NYPD have been hired and trained for a purpose and they are doing a masterful job of fulfilling their responsibilities. The same cannot be said about the reporters who are using smoke and mirror tactics to try to besmirch them. One can only wonder how many far more pressing stories are being ignored and just how much precious media resources are being wasted on what should essentially be considered a non-story.
It is high time that the AP witch-hunt ends and the investigative reporters start using their time and resources to dig into real issues.”
Hamodia is absolutely right!
Kudos to Hamodia. Reporters nowadays are shocking.
I think I read that AP has just won an award for its investigative journalism, which, if true, means AP had an ulterior motive for pushing the story. Meanwhile, everyone’s outwardly “shocked” reaction to any NYPD surveillance makes me want to shake them by their lying lapels. Deep down, they are probably quite grateful that the NYPD has uncovered terror plots, but are too cowardly to say so.
eric holder has enough problems for dealing in guns. Maybe he should be watched also
it is not a witch hunt it a story based on facts. that is not a witch hunt. I guess they would not mind the FBI police use being a Jew, and using surveillance to many Jewish or frum organizations just because they where Jewish. Of course not for terrorism but for financial shtick
Shame on you Hamodia. You just did a new good number on Jewish-Islamic Relations. America has every business in uncovering all that is truthful to be considered in our presses. And if this is a story that is of no speculation, why did it get printed in so many sources?
Since when is reporting news a “witch hunt”??
Hamodia is absolutely right. It’s good to hear that they are speaking out this way.
Wait until they uncover that they have been spying on Jewish extremist groups.
What can you expect from the “Liberal” media – and we know WHO controls that.
Hamodia is wrong; Would you want the police monitoring Chareidi behavior, since when Bloomberg has won his first election he his hard bent to make sure that all rights are compromised and that religious institutions go bankrupt, he is the ultimate political communist.
The reason he hates religion, of any stripe, is because it counters government on every level, education, charity and moral values. Bloomberg want zombies.
Hamodia, please stay out of it, why should a jewish news paper take a stance in such a sensitive issue?? We are in gulos, its not are business, can you take responsibility if they will CH”V attack jews now cause of your foolishness?? Its wrong what you did.
Kudos to Hamodia! Muslims need to be watched very closely in this country, and it takes certain degree of fortitude to state it publicly.
And no, I wouldn’t mind at all if the police monitored Jews. We have nothing to hide; we don’t mean anybody harm. Muslims are either terrorists or predominantly supportive of terrorists. Terrorism would not be a problem if the “peaceful” muslims didn’t support it.
I don’t understand what the big deal, I would’ve agreed they should keep an eye on me,. Are they American first or are they terrorists first, we are at WAR. If they don’t like it let them go HOME. Many of them new in advance of 9e/11. They kept quiet.
No one has to apologize.
Great job NYPD