New York – Members of the Muslim community are asking for more time to digest the terms of a deal aimed at preventing illegal surveillance by the New York Police Department.
At a Manhattan hearing Tuesday, federal Judge Charles Haight (hayt) seemed receptive to considering delaying until August a decision on whether to approve the latest version of restrictions on surveillance. The hearing resumes Wednesday.
New restrictions were announced in January after The Associated Press revealed that New York City police spied on Muslims, infiltrated student groups and sent informants to mosques.
Lawyers negotiated the deal to change rules first set after a 1971 lawsuit challenged surveillance of war protesters in the 1960s and ‘70s. A 1980s decree was relaxed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks to help police fight terrorism.
As reported by Vos Iz Neias