NJ gov critical of NYPD surveillance secrecy

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - February 29, 2012 (WPVI) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has sharply criticized the New York Police Department for not informing federal law enforcement agencies about their secret surveillance of Muslims in Newark.

Christie doesn't recall being briefed about the spying in 2007, while he was the state's top federal prosecutor. He says the Department of Justice's Joint Terrorism Task Force should have been advised.

On Townsquare Media's "Ask the Governor" radio program Wednesday, Christie questioned whether the NYPD's secrecy was "born out of arrogance or paranoia."

The governor says he has no problem with covert surveillance, but didn't say whether he thought it was appropriate as a preventative measure when there is no suspected wrongdoing.

The Associated Press revealed last week that the NYPD secretly monitored the daily activities of Muslim college student groups across the Northeast.

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gov. chris christie, trenton, new jersey, local/state

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