The FBI 's Demographics Unit was put together with the CIA 's help . The CIA 's work never led to a terrorism investigation in at least 6 years of monitoring . Thomas and Galati 's testimony was part of a trial that ended with class - action lawsuit in 1971 . Browne added that `` the small unit , about 8 people , surveyed places a terrorist might go to use a foreign language internet cafe , get a job off the books , find a place to stay , etc . '' NYPD says ` ` premise that the demographic data was used for wholesale spying .. was false ''
The FBI 's Demographics Unit was put together with the CIA 's help . The CIA 's work never led to a terrorism investigation in at least 6 years of monitoring . Thomas and Galati 's testimony was part of a trial that ended with class - action lawsuit in 1971 . NYPD says ` ` premise that the demographic data was used for wholesale spying .. was false ''