U.S.A.-N.Y.: MOSLEM ANALYST SUES NEW YORK CITY

Muslim NY police analyst sues city over e-mails

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Muslim police anti-terror analyst sued New York City on Tuesday, claiming a former CIA official sent hundreds of racist e-mails, including one that said "burning the hate-filled Koran" should be seen as "a public service."

The unnamed analyst -- employed by the New York police department's intelligence division -- was subject to "almost daily, virulent anti-Muslim and anti-Arab harassment" in his job monitoring extremist Web sites to identify threats, according to the suit filed in Manhattan federal court.

Almost all of the e-mails came from Bruce Tefft, a former CIA terrorism expert who was contracted to the New York police department as an adviser in 2002 and who sent frequent electronic briefings to city workers on anti-terror strategy.

"Someone would have to be blind, stupid or ignorant to think Islam is a religion (as opposed to a fascist political ideology)," Tefft wrote in 2005, according to the suit.

Connie Pankratz, a spokeswoman for the city's law department, said it is "aware of the case and reviewing the legal documents."

Paul Browne, police department spokesman, said that when the department learned the analyst had filed a complaint more than a year ago it took appropriate action.

"We took immediate action to block his e-mails, followed by a cease and desist letter to the individual and his employer, a consulting firm," Browne said.

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