American civil rights lawyers will seek for a court-appointed auditor to watch over the New York Police Department's counter-terrorism activities, reported the Associated Press.
Complaining that the NYPD supervise and retain the records of what they overheard at the public areas where Muslims eat, shop and worship, civil rights lawyers wrote in a recent court filing that the NYPD violates Handschu guidelines and has restored the banned political surveillance of 1960s and 1970s. The Handschu agreement is a set of guidelines that regulate the behavior of NYPD concerning political activity.
Citing the court filing The New York Times reported, "The NYPD is continuing a massive, all-encompassing dragnet for intelligence concerning anything connected with Muslim activity through intrusive infiltration and record-keeping about all aspects of life, politics and worship," the court filing states. "The NYPD operates on a theory that conservative Muslim beliefs and participation in Muslim organizations are themselves bases for investigation."
The lawyers said that the activities of NYPD were "flagrant and persistent," reported the Associated Press. The Handschu agreement was the result of 1971 lawsuit harassment political groups by the Red Squads, police intelligence units.
However, after Sept 11 terrorist attacks Charles S Haight Jr., a federal judge relaxed a set of 1985 guidelines authorizing police officials to freely investigate about the terrorist threats. This permitted the authorities to visit places and attend events on the similar terms issued for the public, reported The Times. However, they were not allowed to retain information unless relevant "to potential unlawful or terrorist activity," according to the relaxed rules.
The officials at the NYPD said that they have not violated Handschu agreement or the civil rights laws.
"The NYPD has deceived this court and counsel, as well as the public, concerning the character and scope of its activities in violation of the guidelines," Paul G Cheigny, one of the lawyers to file the motion, said.
