DAR AL HARB-U.S.A.-NEW YORK: TWO CONVICTED JIHADISTS WANT A NEW TRIAL, THEY REALLY WEREN'T FUND RAISING

Two mosque leaders in New York state request new trial

ALBANY, New York: Two mosque leaders convicted of U.S. money laundering charges after a terrorism-related sting have asked the judge to set aside the verdicts or grant them new trials.

The government accused Yassin Aref, an imam, and Mohammed Hossain, a pizzeria owner, of participating in a money-laundering scheme in 2004 that included an FBI informant posing as an illegal arms dealer.

The informant had asked Hossain to launder $50,000 (€37,678), saying it was from the sale of a shoulder-fired missile that would be used to kill a Pakistani diplomat in New York City. Aref acted as a witness to a series of transactions between the two men. Hossain said he had merely asked the informant for a loan.

The men were accused of trying to provide support to Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based group listed by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.

In court papers filed Sunday, defense attorney Kevin Luibrand said the facts do not support Hossain's convictions, arguing that Hossain was entrapped by authorities.

Hossain, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bangladesh, was convicted in October on all 27 charges against him, including three counts of conspiracy to support terrorism. Aref was convicted on 10 of the 30 charges against him.

Aref, a Kurdish refugee from northern Iraq, was also found guilty of lying to FBI agents about having known a terrorist leader, Mullah Krekar.

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Pericek, who prosecuted the case, said it is unlikely the judge would reverse himself. He said Judge Thomas McAvoy instructed the jury to consider the entrapment defense.

Defense attorney Terence Kindlon filed papers in court last week arguing for Aref. "We feel the verdict didn't make any sense," Kindlon said.

The men are scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 12.


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