In a victory for National Security, and the American citizen not to be blown up, a judge ruled today against the ACLU, and for NYC Subways in their effort to protect their citizens.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge ruled on Friday that police had a constitutional right to randomly search passengersâ bags on the New York City subway to deter terrorist attacks. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman ruled the searches were an effective and appropriate means to fight terrorism, and constituted only a âminimal intrusionâ of privacy. âThe risk to public safety of a terrorist bombing of New York Cityâs subway system is substantial and real,â Berman wrote in his opinion.
âThe need for implementing counter-terrorism measures is indisputable, pressing, ongoing and evolving.â
Random bag searches began on July 22 after a second set of bomb attacks on Londonâs transit system.
In a statement, Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the ruling, calling bag searches a âreasonable precautionâ that police would continue to take.
The New York Civil Liberties Union, which had sued to stop the searches, plans to appeal, Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. She said the âunprecedentedâ bag search program violated a basic freedom. |