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A new report has brought the New York Police Department under increasing scrutiny for a terrorism-surveillance program that critics say illegally profiles Muslims and has even extended its operations into other states.
The secret report, obtained by the Associated Press and released Friday, adds to longstanding concerns about the NYPD's Demographics Unit. It shows that the unit collected huge amounts of information on the region's Muslim-American community – ranging from conversations in Muslim-owned shops to the license-plate numbers of those attending mosque – even if there was no link to criminal activity.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly have attributed the absence of terror attacks since 2001 to the program's success. The commissioner has also argued that the intelligence gathering is no different than what the NYPD would do for other groups.