Turner Decries Investigation Into NYPD’s Alleged Spying On Muslims

Congressmen Bob Turner (R-NY) and Peter King (R-NY) are against a proposed investigation into the NYPD that accuses the department of collecting intelligence on New York’s Muslims without probable cause.

The two members of the House Committee on Homeland Security spoke out after Democratic colleagues sent a letter to the Department of Justice demanding an investigation into NYPD tactics that resembled domestic spying.

“A recent ‘Dear Colleague’ from three members of Congress attacking the NYPD was embarrassingly uninformed and shamefully misleading,” they said in a letter reported by The Hill.

The men are talking about Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Robert “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.) and Mike Honda (D-Calif.). Last Thursday, the lawmakers demanded the investigation after the Associated Press did a series of reports on the NYPD’s alleged activities. The reports state that the NYPD has been collecting information on Muslims in New York City and storing it in a database without probable cause.

They requested the Department of Justice to get involved by investigating what they call “civil rights” violations.

“The NYPD has engaged in conduct that has singled out Muslims for police contact — stops and investigations — based upon their race, ethnicity or national origin,” said the trio in the letter. “This surveillance allegedly included targeting mosques, student groups, restaurants and even motorists in both NYC and outside the NYPD’s jurisdiction.”

Under Commissioner Ray Kelly, the NYPD has prevented at least 14 Islamic terrorist attacks by working within the law, says Turner and King.

“The reality is that the NYPD is the leading police department in the country with the largest and most effective counterterrorism force, dedicating 1,000 officers to protecting New York from terrorist attacks,” wrote Turner and King.