New York law offers security tipsters immunity from prosecution

You may recall that lawsuit in Minnesota: Six imams were removed from an America West Airlines flight last year, partly as a result of a note from a passenger describing what he regarded as suspicious behavior on the imams’ part. The note described the seating arrangement of the imams, as well as the fact that the imams had prayed and spoken out against America’s foreign policy prior to the flight. Claiming discrimination, the imams sued the airline and any passengers who voiced suspicion about the imams to the flight attendants. The imams are currently seeking out the identity of any such passengers.

The New York Sun’s Joseph Goldstein reports that the New York state Legislature has now voted to protect law enforcement tipsters from being sued. Intended to encourage New Yorkers to tell authorities about suspicious activity, the new law prevents those who are the targets of such reports from suing their accusers. The law cleared both the Assembly and the Senate last week and is expected to arrive on the desk of Governor Spitzer soon. The law gives immunity from liability to any person who files, in good faith, a report alleging that a crime is about to occur. It also puts a burden on potential plaintiffs before they can obtain the identity of their accuser.

The law is called “the Freedom to Report Terrorism Act,” but it is broader than that in that it protects those who report suspicions about any type of criminal activity.