When the controversy over New York Police Department infiltrating Muslim student groups broke last year, it seemed that the espionage program was in jeopardy. But the Associated Press recently uncovered a flagrant case of NYPD surveillance of Muslims without warrants or even causes for suspicion.
Shamiur Rahman, a 19-year-old American of Bengali descent, said he was paid by the NYPD and they treated him leniently on his minor marijuana charges because of his work spying on Muslims in mosques and at student meetings. The NYPD encouraged Rahman to bring up controversial topics with Muslim friends he made under false pretenses in order to bait them into making controversial or illegal statements.
This strategy of baiting conversations, known as “create and capture,” goes beyond mere racial profiling. Not only did the police department target a specific religious group, but it also tried to induce and incite illegal conversations. Those who fell into the traps by accidentally uttering some sensitive words but never had the intent to commit terrorist acts, could potentially face unjustified investigation.
Rahman said the police told him to spy on certain groups or people without having any specific targets or criminal information on any of the subjects. This racial profiling unfairly subjects a certain group of Americans to having their lives analyzed by spies and the police solely based on their religious beliefs. Rahman took pictures of people worshipping in mosques and had conversations about religion with his falsely made friends, only to pass their information along to the government.
Not only were the tactics that Rahman was ordered to use unfair, but the whole idea of him spying on Muslim groups is unjustifiable, especially since his work did not lead any arrests. The NYPD has no right to spy on citizens, and it should conduct its work based on solid facts and leads rather than racial and religious prejudices.
A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Oct. 24 print edition. Email the WSN Editorial Board at [email protected].
