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July 01, 2007
NY: New Bill Encourages People To Report Dubious Behavoir
Newsday
If suspicious, speak up
New bill encourages citizens who witness dubious behavior to report it to authorities without fear of lawsuits
BY MELISSA MANSFIELD
June 27, 2007
ALBANY - New legislation awaiting the governor's approval would allow people to report suspicious, possibly terrorist, behavior without fear of a lawsuit. It's an effort to encourage citizens to turn in those acting in a dubious fashion.
In November six Muslim imams were taken off a plane in Minneapolis after a number of passengers and airline employees complained the men were praying loudly, making comments about Allah and Saddam Hussein, and moving around the cabin.
The Council on American Islamic Relations, a nonprofit advocacy group, has filed a lawsuit against the airline and the "John Does" who reported the imams' behavior. Security experts voiced concerns that the lawsuit would discourage people from speaking up.
"Sept. 11 changed the way all of us have to think in terms of protecting ourselves," said state Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), the bill's Senate sponsor. "We see in airports and train stations warnings to report things that are suspicious. We're all encouraged to do this, but now ... [some who did] are being sued."
Assemb. Rory Lancman (D-Flushing) noted the need for law enforcement officials to get information from "ordinary" New Yorkers. "It would be a tragedy if a terrorist attack that could have been foiled wasn't because someone didn't want to be sued," he said. "It's important to law enforcement to report what we see. I don't want anyone to feel afraid of doing that."
The "freedom to report terrorism act" passed both houses unanimously late last week. The governor's office would not comment until the governor had a chance to review it.
The New York State Trial Lawyers Association, a 4,600-member group, supported the measure. "It strikes a reasonable balance between encouraging people to make reasonable reports, with a genuine basis of terrorist risk and the need to protect citizens from being harassed because they might look or act slightly different," said a spokesman, Gene DeSantis.
The legislation was introduced in April but gained momentum earlier this month after four people were arrested on suspicion of plotting to blow up a fuel line for Kennedy Airport that runs through residential neighborhoods in Queens.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/state/ny-stterr275271578jun27,0,4273731.st
ory?coll=ny-statenews-headlines
Posted by lois at July 1, 2007 11:10 AM