UPDATE: NYPD Interviews Neighbors Regarding Mosque Threat

We just heard from a resident of East 28th Street off of Voorhies Avenue that NYPD investigators interviewed neighbors about the alleged bomb threat.

The reader told us that police knocked on his door after 11 p.m. They asked questions about the rally and the identity of the man who told Brooklyn Paper’s Tom Tracy that he would bomb the mosque if it were built. The reader was asked if he witnessed the incident or knew who the man was. They also asked who organized the rally, who spoke, and what the purpose was.

To our knowledge, NYPD investigators have still not found the man.

Traditionally, journalists are expected to protect their sources and not be involved in a story. Most states have laws that protect journalists from revealing anonymous sources, and courts cannot compel reporters to disclose their identity.

Those laws exist to ensure the media is a safe way for whistle-blowers and informants to disclose information without fear of retribution. This case is obviously different, but journalism purists would say revealing a source under any circumstance creates a slippery slope and undermines the trust potential tipsters may have.

Do you think Tom Tracy should help NYPD investigators identify the man that allegedly made threats?