Remember those "terrorists" arrested in Albany?

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Times Union

Freedom lifts hopes of suspects in sting
Men caught up in FBI operation leave jail, say they expect to be cleared

By BRENDAN LYONS, Staff writer
First published: Thursday, August 26, 2004

Two Muslim men ensnared in an FBI counterterrorism sting professed their innocence and love for America on Wednesday as they emerged from Rensselaer County Jail after spending 20 days in custody.

Yassin M. Aref, 34, an Iraqi native, and Mohammed M. Hossain, 49, who is from Bangladesh, smiled and appeared overcome with relief.

The immigrants said they missed their families and believe they will be cleared of federal charges alleging they helped launder money from the sale of a shoulder-fired missile that was to be used in a fictitious terror plot.

They said language barriers with a Pakistani immigrant who worked as an FBI informant, misleading or incomplete accounts of their secretly taped conversations and overzealous counterterrorism agents had pulled them into an FBI vortex that leaves their futures in doubt. Both men are charged in a 19-count indictment with money laundering, providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, importing firearms without a license and conspiracy charges related to the yearlong sting.

"Now I have even more respect for the United States of America," Hossain said, appearing to hold back tears. "I am a true American. I love this country."

The pair had spent 20 days in jail but were released on $250,000 bond each and with electronic monitoring bracelets strapped to their ankles as they left the brick jailhouse near the Hudson River just before sunset.

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Fred LeBrun put it best:

It's a sting operation. Classic entrapment that any good lawyer should make hash of, although given the national hysteria over anything terroristic at the moment, who knows how it will play in court.