MUSLIM SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT
IN RESPONSE TO THE SENTENCING OF
YASSIN AREF AND MOHAMMED HOSSAIN
The Muslim Solidarity
Committee formed shortly after the trial and verdicts for Imam Yassin Aref and
Mohammed Hossain. Today we wish to express our deep outrage at the injustice
that has occurred in Albany today. As
citizens who have come forward to show solidarity with these two men, their
families and the Muslim population of the Capital Region. We have collectively
looked at all the evidence presented by the United States Government against
Aref and Hossain and have every reason to believe that these two men are
innocent of all charges brought against them, that they were caught up in a
sting operation and framed solely because of who they are: two simple,
practicing Muslim men from the Middle east.
We believe that the
United States Government has done and continues to do a grave disservice to the
citizens of our country by targeting a specific group of people, expressly the
Muslim community, and justifying its “War on Terror” by setting up elaborate
operations to frame innocent Muslims, isolate the Muslim community within our
country and keep this community in a constant state of fear.
We have witnessed the
devastating effects of this wrong-headed operation on both the Aref and Hossain
families including a total of ten young children and two wives who are now left
to raise their families alone. We have
seen the fear that penetrates deep within the Muslim community in their
reluctance to come forward to share their outrage with the non-Muslim members
of our group and their mistrust of anyone they do not know. We are saddened by this impact on our Muslim
neighbors, whom we have gotten to know and respect for their kindness,
generosity and deep faith.
In the words of Imam Aref,
“I want you all to continue your support and to never give up. It is not for me or my family, but it is for
this country, America and its people.
The freedom and equal rights in this country and in Western countries is
the fruit of the struggling and sacrifice of many people like you. As long as life continues on this earth
there will be struggle. Be happy and
proud that we can be part of it and we can work to achieve something good for
everyone.”
We, the members of
the Muslim Solidarity Committee, will not give up – we will continue to
struggle for the truth to come forward and for Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain
to be set free, and for the civil liberties of our country to be restored.
For information about
the Muslim Solidarity Committee please go to our website: http://nepajac.org/Aref&Hossain.htm
May Saffar
Catherine Callan
Steven Downs