Opinion

Aid and Comfort

Does the Associated Press even care if terrorists attack this city again?

A fair question, given the agency’s latest hit on the NYPD — for trying to deal with Iranian-based terror threats in 2006.

The latest salvo, part of a months-long series, breathlessly claims that the department “recommended increasing surveillance of thousands of Shiite Muslims and their mosques, based solely on their religion, as a way to sweep the Northeast for signs of Iranian terrorists.”

AP focuses on a 2006 NYPD threat-assessment memo regarding possible Iranian-sponsored terror attacks in the city — an altogether rational and necessary undertaking, given the high level of tension between Iran and America at the time.

“The present diplomatic conflict between the US and Iran over Iran’s nuclear proliferation has the potential to evolve into armed confrontation between the two nations,” the memo begins.

New York “has always been a prime target for terrorist groups,” it adds.

And Iran has long sponsored them.

Critically, the document — dated May 15, 2006 — came just weeks before a full-scale war between Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, and America’s ally, Israel, erupted.

Of particular concern: Iranian spies had been caught — on at least three separate occasions — trying to film New York City infrastructure, including No. 7 Train tracks.

Should the NYPD have ignored all that?

Fortunately, it didn’t. The memo takes a look at the dangers and suggests practical ideas for dealing with them.

It urges the department, for example, to “cultivate” sources who speak Farsi and to explore leads on folks linked to Iranian intelligence — “with special attention to those concerning photography or other known surveillance methods” — and to Hezbollah and other terror-linked entities.

It should “expand and focus intelligence” at sites tied to these groups, including several noted by name, and at Shi’a mosques (Iran being a major center of Shi’a Islam — a branch of the religion well-known for its militancy).

Relations have only deteriorated since 2006: Tehran works to complete nuclear warheads and threatens Navy warships in the Persian Gulf; US intelligence officials warn about Iranian attacks in America.

In New York City, perhaps?

Again, does the AP even care about that?