Muslim Solidarity Committee

 

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The Muslim Solidarity Committee is an organization in the Capital District of New York (Albany) set up to defend

Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, 2 Muslim men from the Capital District who have been framed by the US government and convicted of terrorism related charges.  Both men were sentenced to 15-years in prison. The 15-year sentences were actually ½ what was indicated by the federal sentencing guidelines.  It is felt that the community support -- which included almost 1000 signatures on a petition, dozens of letters to the judge and vigils, forum and other activity -- had an effect on the judge’s sentences.  During the sentencing, the courtroom was packed with supporters and a vigil was held outside of the courthouse.  There has been an appeal and the Muslim Solidarity Committee, formed to support Aref and Hossain, will continue to function. 

 

Journey for Justice

Deliver the Petition for Yassin Aref by walking from Albany to Binghamton, NY - July 12 to July 23, 2013

A Victim of Mistaken Identity

Yassin Aref, a Kurdish imam, was entrapped by a criminal con artist hired by the FBI. Despite no evidence that Yassin supported any terrorist activity, the post-9/11 climate made the jury afraid to acquit him or his co-defendant, Mohammed Hossain. (For more information on Yassin and his case, see this article in New York Magazine, 'Little Gitmo.' )

Through a recent FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request, Yassin's defense attorneys learned about secret evidence that misidentified Yassin as an Al-Qaeda agent. This evidence, which led to his conviction, was apparently shown to the trial judge and appeal court, but not to the defense.

The government convicted the wrong man. Yassin is not a terrorist.

Now the defense has prepared a motion to reopen the case based on this dramatic new evidence of mistaken identity. We are asking you to sign a petition to the judge who will, we hope, consider this motion. The petition This photo of Yassin Aref and his 6-year-old daughter was taken during a rare prison visit.requests that the judge give serious consideration to Yassin's motion to reopen the case.

To publicize the importance of this motion, and to emphasize to the judge that Albany has not forgotten this case, Lynne Jackson, accompanied by other supporters, will walk 133 miles from Yassin's home city of Albany, New York to hand-deliver the petition to the judge, who is located in Binghamton, New York.

The "Journey for Justice", sponsored by Project SALAM) will start at 6:00 PM on Friday, July 12, 2013 at the Masjid As-Salam in Albany, New York and end on Tuesday, July 23 at 11:00 AM at the Federal Court House, 15 Henry Street, Binghamton, New York.

Please sign our petition to the judge, asking him to seriously consider reopening Yassin's case.

 

 

 

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march 2012

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Pictures by Jeanne Finley

(starting upper left: Alaa Muhiddin, daughter of Yassin Aref, March up Central Ave., Rally at Mosque)

 

On August 4, 2012, the Albany Community held its 8th anniversary protest of the arrest of Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain.

 

Supporters marched up Central Ave., in Albany to the Masjed As-Salam, where Aref was the Imam and Hossain a member.  The Albany community has supported the Aref and Hossain family and the arrested men from the beginning and continue our support 8 year later.

 

On the march and at the rally other cases of “preemptive” prosecution were also protested.

 

The march and rally were organized by Muslim Peace Coalition, Project Salam, and the Albany chapter of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms and support by many Albany area peace and social justice organizations.

 

 

 

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On April 5, 2010 members of the Muslim Solidarity Committee and Project Salaam marched through Downtown Albany to City Hall where Council member Dominick Calsolaro proposed a motion that the Albany Common Council urge the US Justice Department to review the cases of Muslims who have been unjustly prosecuted.  Family members and supporters spoke with great emotion and resolution.  The Coucil passed the resolution by a vote of 10 – 0 with 4 not voting.

 Here the WAMC report: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1632888

A letter sent by Dominick Calsolaro to Presedent Obama on the issue can be found here

 

 

 

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Get your copy of the new book, “Rounded Up: Artificial Terrorists and Muslim Entrapment After 9/11,” by Shamshad Ahmad.  Shamshad Ahmad is the president of the Masjid As-Salam Mosque where Yassin Aref was the Imam and Mohanned Hossain a member.

 

Click below to order the book online from

The Troy Book Makers   or   Amazon.com

Rounded Up is also available at these Capital District bookstores:

Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza (Albany), Market Block Books (Troy), Open Door Bookstore (Schenectady), The Bookloft (Great Barrington, MA), Borders Books and Music at Crossgates (Albany), Clifton Park, and Saratoga; and East Line Books (Clifton Park).

You can also purchase both Rounded Up and Yassin Aref’s memoir, Son of Mountains, together for $35 (20% off cover prices) at

http://shop.thetroybookmakers.com/muslimsolidaritybundle-p-75.htmlRead a column about  the book by Carl Strock, a columnist for the Schenectady Gazette

 

 

Over 100 People took to the Streets in Albany to protest on the 5th Anniversary of the Arrest of Yassim Aref and Mohammed Hossain.

On Tuesday, August 4, 2009 over 100 people marched through the streets of Albany, NY to protest the FBI crime of tricking Yassim Aref and Mohammed Hossain into doing something that could look as if it was illegal and then putting them in jail for 15 years.  The protesters marched from downtown Albany to a rally at the Masjid As-Salam Mosque, where both men worshiped. The march and rally was sponsored by the Muslim Solidarity Committee and a number of other local peace and justice groups.  The Troy Record article on the march and rally can be found on the link below.   Click here for the Troy Record Article on the March and Rally

 

For some thoughts on the 5th anniversary of the Arrest by Joe Lombardo, please click here

 

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Jeanne Finley

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Jeanne Finley

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               Jeanne Finley

 

Click this link for a new years message from Yassin Aref.

 

View the trailer for the new documentary by Ellie Bernstein on the cases for Aref and Hossain

 

 

4th Anniversary Commemoration of the Arrests of YASSIN AREF & MOHAMMED HOSSAIN

100 people marched from the Masjid As-Salam Mosque to down town Albany where a vigil in support of Yassim Aref and Mohammed Hossain was held on Friday, August 22, 2008.

 

On Saturday, August 23, 2008, 55 people attended a conference on the case along with other similar frame-up cases of Muslims.  Out of the Saturday conference, a new organization called the Muslim innocents project was formed.  A link to the new web site will follow as soon as it is set up.

Below is a picture of participants at the conference

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SON OF MOUNTAINS,

YASSIN AREF’S MEMOIR / AUTOBIOGRAPHY,

HAS BEEN PUBLISHED!

 

Get a copy and read excepts from the book

 

 

 

Fact Sheet on the Case

 

 

Click here to join the Muslim  Solidarity Committee listserv

 

 

Muslim Solidarity Committee members win awards.

 

 

 

 

On March 24, 47 people from the Albany community, many from the Masjid As-Salom Mosque, attended the oral arguments for the appeal at the Federal Appeals Court in Manhattan.

 

Steve Downs’ thoughts on the oral arguments

 

Pictures of the trip

 

 

For more information: Joe Lombardo 518-439-1968 or jlombard@nycap.rr.com

 

 

Aref & Hossain writings

 

 

News Media

 

 

Press Releases

 

 

Picture of Solidarity Committee Activities

 

 

Legal Activity

 

 

Aref & Hossain family support

 

Links