by Shamshad Ahmad

“I invite you to think: there are more than six million Muslims in this country, and almost eight years have gone by since 9/11, yet not a single Muslim terrorist has ever been found here. We are not terrorists. We are part of this society, we share its concerns, and we want to share in its success and prosperity.”
—Shamshad Ahmad

In 2004, the FBI raided the Masjid As-Salam, a working-class mosque in Albany, New York, and arrested two of its members on charges of supporting terrorism. The government’s subsequent case against Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain garnered international publicity, shocked the city, and terrified the Capital District’s Muslim community. Now, from his insider’s perspective as president of the mosque, Shamshad Ahmad gives the only comprehensive account available of the fictional FBI “sting” that entrapped the two men, and offers some behind-the-scenes information, including transcriptions of the actual sting tapes, that has never been made public. Dr. Ahmad’s careful examination of the evidence, and his unique observations as a Muslim, leave no doubt that the case was a frame-up designed to advance the post-9/11 “war on terror” and intimidate the Muslim community––and that community support and activism have made a difference throughout this tragic miscarriage of justice.

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Aref Education Fund, established by the author for Yassin Aref’s four children.