Snowden vs Time Mag article about NYPD

[n david]

Remember how the WH, some in Congress and even a few on here were upset because Snowden allegedly went into great detail showing how the US conducted its surveillance against terrorists.

It's mostly unfounded, however, because most of the documents were still redacted and didn't give enough detail to really help terrorists evade surveillance. In fact, the WH, Pentagon, and NSA have recently released more info than what Snowden did. Example: WH says they intercepted a call which led to the closing of the dozen or so US Embassies on Obama's birthday; and again this morning, an alleged intercepted phone call from one of Assad's top generals is the basis of proof the WH claims to have that Assad was the one who use the chemical weapons against civilians.

Well, today in Time Mag, there's an article which blows away anything Snowden is accused of doing: "NYPD Designates Mosques as Terrorism Organizations."

In this article, the NYPD's cover is completely blown with regards to its surveillance of radical Mosque's in NYC, which are believed to be terrorist havens. Not only is the NYPD blueprint spelled out, but even detailed info is given on how they were able to sneak surveillance equipment into the Mosque's.

Since the 9/11 attacks, the NYPD has opened at least a dozen “terrorism enterprise investigations” into mosques, according to interviews and confidential police documents. The TEI, as it is known, is a police tool intended to help investigate terrorist cells and the like.

NYPD worked hard to get informants planted on advisory boards and in other places of influence in the Mosque's and other Muslim organizations. And because the FBI refused their request to plant surveillance equipment in the Mosque and other businesses; the NYPD used bugs planted in watches and car key fobs.

The strategy has allowed the NYPD to send undercover officers into mosques and attempt to plant informants on the boards of mosques and at least one prominent Arab-American group in Brooklyn, whose executive director has worked with city officials, including Bill de Blasio, a front-runner for mayor.

The NYPD did not limit its operations to collecting information on those who attended the mosques or led prayers. The department sought also to put people on the boards of New York’s Islamic institutions to fill intelligence gaps.

One confidential NYPD document shows police wanted to put informants in leadership positions at mosques and other organizations, including the Arab American Association of New York in Brooklyn, a secular social-service organization.

In August 2003, Cohen asked the FBI to install eavesdropping equipment inside a mosque called Masjid al-Farooq, including its prayer room.

Al-Farooq had a long history of radical ties. Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind Egyptian sheik who was convicted of plotting to blow up New York City landmarks, once preached briefly at Al-Farooq. Invited preachers raged against Israel, the United States and the Bush administration’s war on terror.

One of Cohen’s informants said an imam from another mosque had delivered $30,000 to an al-Farooq leader, and the NYPD suspected the money was for terrorism.

But Amy Jo Lyons, the FBI assistant special agent in charge for counterterrorism, refused to bug the mosque. She said the federal law wouldn’t permit it.

The NYPD made other arrangements. Cohen’s informants began to carry recording devices into mosques under investigation. They hid microphones in wristwatches and the electronic key fobs used to unlock car doors.

As of yet, there has been no outcry against the article. There's been no demands by members of Congress to seize Time Mag or the authors of the article, Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo and try them for treason.

Even though, this is far more damaging than anything Snowden has released thus far. Snowden released valuable information on the government spying on its own citizens without warrants, without any justification or cause.

This Time Mag article does nothing to help protect civil liberties and the innocent. Instead, it outs a program that targeted Mosque's and organizations that actually help fund and support terrorists!

You want to punish someone who leaks valuable intel on how an agency is trying to combat terrorists -- it's these two guys, Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo. They've done far more damage than Snowden.

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