An Injustice has occurred in our community

Two area Muslim residents have been entrapped in a FBI sting operation that pretended to involve a terrorist plot. Based on shoddy evidence, some of it secret—and probably illegally obtained—a manipulated jury convicted both men (though one only partially).

Yassin Aref is the imam of a mosque. Mohammed Hossain is one of the mosque’s founders.

Among the troubling aspects to the case are:

· Withholding evidence from the defense

· Intimidating the jury by surrounding the courthouse with SWAT teams, police dogs, and even snipers.

Both men are in jail, pending appeal. Though hard-working, neither has any savings. Meanwhile, of course, they cannot work to support their families. Yassin has four children, Mohammed six, the oldest of whom is thirteen. Help is being provided, but more is needed. A fund has been set up for this purpose.

Please contribute. Please spread the word.

Contributions of any size are welcome.

Make checks payable to “Aref/ Hossain Family Fund” and mail to the fund c/o Law Office of Steven Downs, 26 Dinmore Road, Selkirk, NY 12158

For more information, visit the website at

http://nepajac.org/aref&Hossain.htm