NYPD Spent Years Spying On Muslims, Generated Exactly Zero Leads
from the security-theater dept
We just wrote about yet another (in a long line) of manufactured terrorist plots, in which the FBI creates its own terrorist plot to arrest anyone who can be coaxed into going along for the ride, even if they had no interest or ability to push the plot forward on their own. In that case, it was even more ridiculous, because they couldn't even find anyone willing to go along with the plot -- and the main "suspect" actually alerted the FBI to the informant who was trying to coax him into taking part in a plot (which didn't stop him from being arrested, even if the case was eventually dropped).Of course, the FBI is not alone in its incredibly ham-fisted anti-terrorism efforts in which the focus seems to be much more about someone's religious leanings, rather than any actual interest in creating terror. The NY Police Department got plenty of attention for deciding to build their own local versions of the FBI and CIA to try to catch terrorists. That link describes the NYPD as a sort of new "elite" intelligence agency, hiring people out of other intelligence agencies and then placing agents around the globe to try to beat the FBI and CIA at their own game.
Back at home, apparently this included following on the FBI's tactic of assuming that "brown skin = terrorist." As such, they've spent the past few years spying on "Muslim neighbrhoods" throughout New York (with help from the CIA), sending undercover agents and informants into Muslim groups and organizations:
The Demographics Unit is at the heart of a police spying program, built with help from the CIA, which assembled databases on where Muslims lived, shopped, worked and prayed. Police infiltrated Muslim student groups, put informants in mosques, monitored sermons and catalogued every Muslim in New York who adopted new, Americanized surnames.How useful has it been? Apparently not at all. Not a single lead has come out of the program. Not one.
Police hoped the Demographics Unit would serve as an early warning system for terrorism. And if police ever got a tip about, say, an Afghan terrorist in the city, they'd know where he was likely to rent a room, buy groceries and watch sports.
I know this is a crazy thought, but perhaps violating the privacy of tons of people just because of the color of their skin or their religion, isn't the best (or even "a") way to stop terrorists.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: civil liberties, muslims, new york city, nyc, privacy, profiling, spying, terrorism
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
But it is "a" way to become a terrorist.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Duh!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
But if we stop fighting terrorism, the terrorist will win! Won't somebody think of the children! And some other third thing!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Duh!
Violating people just because of their Religion and/or the Color of their skin is disgusting.
Who is next in line ? Jews,Pagans, Buddhists ? Maybe anyone who came from Canada ?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Duh!
We have hockey.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
This seems to be trending towards "Motherfucking Eagles".
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Duh!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
You know, the next time someone says that, I'm going to point out "they already did".
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Duh!
Next will be anarchists, and right wing blog operators.
Oh and dont forget the elderly.
This shit is run by fake Christians, fake politicians
Look at they mansions, then look at the conditions you live in
All they talk about is terrorism on television
They tell you to listen, but they don't really tell you they mission
They funded Al-Qaeda, and now they blame the Muslim religion
Even though Bin Laden, was a CIA tactician
They gave him billions of dollars, and they funded his purpose
Fahrenheit 9/11, that's just scratchin' the surface.
Amerikkka's been took - it's plain to see
The oldest trick in the book is make an enemy
A phony evil so the government can do its dirt
And take away ya freedom lock and load, beat and search
Ain't nothin' changed but more colored people locked in prison
These pigs still beat us but it seem we forgettin'
But I remember 'fore September how these devils do it
Fuck Giuliani ask Diallo how he doin'
Oil blood money makes these killers ride cold
Suspicious suicides people dyin' never told
It's all a part of playin' God so ya think we need 'em
While 'Bin Ashcroft' take away ya rights to freedom
Bear witness to the sickness of these dictators
Hope you understand the time brother cause it's major
[ link to this | view in thread ]
One thing the US authorities to well
Will they learn from this? Bollocks they will.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide..
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Duh
The NYPD has completely suppressed terrorism. I say that's a tremendous success.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
But white people don't commit terrorist attacks! They just commit mass shootings in very populated areas (like movie theaters, or college campuses, or grocery stores a local politician is meeting some voters at)! Or kill people simply because they disagree with them on politics (like the guy who shot that abortion doctor, or the guy who shot the guard at the Family Research Council)!
Ok, killing people over political disagreements is 'technically' domestic terrorism, using fear and violence to accomplish your political goals just like Bin Laden did... but domestic terrorism isn't terrorism, because the media never calls it that! The media says we only have to worry about terrorism from foreigners, or people who are!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
So long as politi-critters want to seen as 'fighting terrorists to keep the public safe', then then law enforcement will be 'actively fighting terror' - regardless of whether there is any evidence on the street that such programs are necessary or even helpful.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120723/00374519790/uk-wont-extradite-terrorists-if-you- build-site-that-helps-people-watch-tv.shtml#c619
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120729/193741 19870/hollywood-made-him-do-it-two-more-theories-aurora-shooter.shtml#c329
Why doesn't the feds spend more time investigating them, they seem to be much more likely engage in terrorist activities even without the FBI's encouragement.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Of course, they're not doing a good job of that either, otherwise we would've even be having this conversation...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Not all mass-murderers are terrorists. Terrorism is a tactic that is used in an attempt to cause political change. If you're just shooting/bombing/whatever people because you're crazy or angry, you're not a terrorist. Just a dangerous lunatic.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Duh!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I have a dream
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Duh
[ link to this | view in thread ]
"The Convert"
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/471/the-convert
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: "The Convert"
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re:
Exactly. It's not called TERRORism for nothing. Deaths aren't the end goal. Inducing fear of death/harm is.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: "The Convert"
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: "The Convert"
[ link to this | view in thread ]
...isn't the best (or even "a") way to stop terrorists.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Duh!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re:
Also, I love how short-sighted everyone is, yes, white people with guns in clubs were viewed as potential terrorists and investigated by the feds for quite some time after the Oklahoma City Bombing.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
You government has no problems finding terrorists, all they have to do is look in the mirror:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKsQKc2eP-8
[ link to this | view in thread ]