Police start to remove Muslim spy cameras in UK city
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, May 9, IRNA -- Police announced Monday work has started to remove more than 200 CCTV cameras in two areas of Birmingham, central England, that were controversially installed to permanently spy on Muslim communities in an anti-terrorism operation.
West Midlands Police pledged that once the cameras and any supporting infrastructures have been removed in the Washwood Heath and Sparkbrook that the areas are left undamaged and looks the same as before the cameras were installed in the operation, which was codenamed Project Champion.
“I would like to stress that the cameras have never been operational. We accept that mistakes were made and we are keen to learn the lessons that emerged from the review into Project Champion. The removal of the cameras is part of that learning process,” said Assistant Chief Commissioner Sharon Rose.
The police finally agreed last October to remove the secretly installed camera network, believed to have been the first in Britain to spy on whole Muslim communities, after an outcry from local residents and councillors who had not been misinformed about the purpose.
Rowe insisted that the removal, which is expected to be completed this month, showed that the police “have listened to what our communities wanted and acted upon those wishes.”
“We have liaised closely with our communities to keep them informed of developments and when they can expect cameras to be removed from actual streets,” she said.
An independent report by Birmingham City Council last year criticised the police for not being transparent about the cameras and for not carrying out sufficient public consultation.
An internal police report also condemned the secret UK police counter-terrorism operation to place Muslim communities under permanent surveillance virtually without any consultation, oversight or regard for the law.
Councillor Ayoub Khan, Cabinet Member for Local Services and Community Safety in Birmingham said he was pleased that the recommendations of the report and the voice of the local community has been heard.
'I am now keen to move on and to work closely with the police and all communities across the city for a joint effort in the fight against crime and keeping our streets safe', Khan said.
The installation was initially suspended last June after local councillors revealed police had misled residents into believing they were to be used to combat vehicle crime and antisocial behaviour.
The police said that no final decision had been made over the future use of the removed cameras but that “an appropriate consultation process with our communities will take place.”
The surveillance of the movement of Muslims, which included 40 cameras concealed in walls and trees and raised fears that it was intended as a pilot scheme for other installations.
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