Muslim community leaders, students and mosque members in New Jersey say NYPD surveillance of their communities violates their constitutional rights.

Nadia Kahf, who heads the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says Muslims are hurt by revelations in documents obtained by The Associated Press that show the NYPD conducted broad surveillance of Muslims in several New Jersey communities.

NYPD officials say their actions were lawful.

Kahf joined other Muslim leaders in Newark Friday to demand an investigation by New Jersey's attorney general. She says the revelations have caused fear and distrust of law enforcement in the Muslim community which has traditionally cooperated in the fight against terrorism.

Separately, many Muslims in Paterson attended prayer service Friday to show support for a mosque that was on the NYPD's list of surveillance targets.

 

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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