NYPD did no wrong in secretly surveilling N.J. Muslims, Attorney General report says

A review by the state Attorney General into the New York Police Department’s secret surveillance operation targeting Muslim businesses and mosques in New Jersey found the NYPD did nothing wrong.

The three-month probe, ordered by Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, concluded there was no evidence to show the NYPD’s activities in the state violated New Jersey’s civil or criminal laws.

“Based on what we saw, their conduct was permissible,” said one of the officials involved with the review who was not at liberty to discuss the report publicly. “There was no evidence of illegal wiretaps or search and seizures. We’re not seeing any seeing violations of law.”

Members of the Muslim community – summoned to Trenton today to be briefed on the review – reacted to the findings with anger and disappointment.

Star-Ledger, 24 May 2012

See also “NJ Muslims angry over NYPD surveillance findings”,Associated Press, 25 May 2012