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Justice Department Holds News Briefing on N.Y. Mosque Raid
Aired August 05, 2004 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the news now, a rally for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and runningmate John Edwards at Union Station in St. Louis. It's expected to go a little late, we are told. And Kerry's Vietnam experience take a couple of hits. That's at 3:30 Eastern today, on "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS."
And we're awaiting a Justice Department news conference on the overnight raid in Albany, New York, at the mosque there. We expect to learn more about the sting, where two men were arrested under suspicion of providing support for terrorism. That news conference expected any moment. When it happens, we'll bring it to you live.
Joining forces, responding to a request from the Najaf governor's office, U.S. troops teamed up with Iraqi soldiers to battle Muqtada al Sadr's Mehdi Army. Two U.S. troops were wounded when a U.S. helicopter carrying another wounded U.S. soldier was shot down by small arms fire and had to make a crash landing.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Well, as we told you earlier, some big names in music are coming together in a spirit harking back to the '60s. They are playing for change in the White House.
CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, the Dixie Chicks and R.E.M. -- just some of the rockers joining forces in an effort to oust President Bush.
In what's being called the Vote for Change tour, the Boss and about two dozen artists are taking to the road in key electoral battleground states in hopes that their music can sway undecided voters to join their cause.
MIKE MILLS, R.E.M. BASSIST: The fact is it is a Vote for Change tour. We want a new administration in the White House, and this is the best way we can think of to do it. Nothing like this has ever really been done before, and it seems like it's got to have some kind of positive effect
VARGAS: To some, the tour may recall the mobilization within the rock world during the Vietnam War, when activist artists, such as Bob Dylan, used the power of their music to energize the anti-war movement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what we're seeing is an extremely high level of participation by artists, primarily rock artists, that started with the war in Iraq.
VARGAS: The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Eyed Peas were just two of the prominent musical groups present at the Democratic National Convention. And when it comes to celebrity endorsements, Kerry seems to have the edge.
But President Bush has found support in country and Christian artists. Ricky Martin and Jessica Simpson have previously loaned their support to the president. And with the Republican National Convention fast approaching, some feel it's just a matter of time before the commander-in-chief unveils his musical counter-attack.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just haven't seen the Bush camp really push that button yet. And I'm sure we'll see some -- some artists come out for Bush. Perhaps not in as strong numbers, but they'll be there.
VARGAS (on camera): Meanwhile, the Vote for Change tour presented by MoveOn PAC kicks off October 1. Proceeds will benefit the Democratic political organization America Coming Together.
Sibila Vargas, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS; We want to know what you think about this. So we asked, do you like some politics mixed in with your music, or not? Cue the music. You like that? Here we go. B.B. says, "Why not? Why should only politicians and pundits offer political views? Musicians, actresses, actors, even sanitary workers have some viewpoints to express about this current administration and the kind of job that they're doing.
Art from California says, "Bruce Springsteen would do well to stick with entertaining and stay out of politics. His credibility as a legitimate entertainer is seriously tarnished. I don't spend big bucks on a concert to hear a political statement."
Then Ronnie says, "Wonderful to hear the Vote for Change Tour will engage young people in the voting process. Many of these artists are icons to young people, and it's appropriate they use their influence to call the attention to the importance of this election."
And then finally, John Trout out of Maryland: "I don't like it when musicians actively promote their political opinions. Music should be an escape from the things that divide us, not a reminder."
Well, our bosses love to work, and she loved her job, but also loved pork on her pizza at lunchtime. Guess what, it got her fired? We'll talk about that, coming up. Also, in his own words, the first man to see that the filthy guy in the obscure spider hole in Iraq was, indeed, Saddam Hussein. You do not want to miss this interview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Prosecutors asked for more time to file charges against Mark Hacking in the death of his wife. They're seeking an extension until Monday. Police and cadaver dogs returned to a Salt Lake City landfill overnight to look for the remains. Mark Hacking is being held on suspicion that he killed Lori and threw her body into a dumpster.
Things get dicey when you call 911. You pretty count on having the operator's undivided attention, right? Well, in Maryland's Anne Arundel County, a few days ago, that was not exactly the case, when Trisha Berg (ph) called during the wee hours to report a prowler.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CALLER: Hello?
OPERATOR: Yes?
CALLER: I was just wondering if you were still there.
OPERATOR: Yes. (INAUDIBLE). What's the problem?
CALLER: I already told you. You don't remember me telling you what was wrong?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Not good. Yes, that was the dispatcher snoring. Berg complained. Police are investigating. The 11-year employee is currently on vacation, presumably getting some rest.
When Lina Morales (ph) came to the United States in 1999, she didn't speak English, but understood if she learned the language and worked hard, she could get a good job and make her dreams come true.
We're going to get to that story in one moment. But now we want to take you live to the Justice Department. We're going to hear more about that mosque raid in Albany, New York.
JAMES COMEY, DEP. ATTY. GENERAL, DEPT. OF JUSTICE: Good afternoon, folks.
I'm joined behind the podium by Gary Bald, who is assistant director at the FBI for counterterrorism; Christopher Wray, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; and Glenn Suddaby, who is the United States attorney for the Northern District of New York.
Last night, FBI agents in Albany, New York, arrested two men on the basis of warrants issued on a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Albany. Those men have been identified as 34-year-old Yassin Muheddin (ph) Aref and 49-year-old Mohammed Musharraf (ph) Hossain.
Aref is the imam of the Masjid As-Salam Mosque in Albany, and Hossain is the founder of that mosque.
According to the complaint filed in the case, Hossain reached out to a cooperating witness, who was working with the FBI last summer, and sought this witness's help in securing, fraudulently, a New York state driver's permit for his brother. The cooperating witness, with the help of the Albany Joint Terrorism Task Force, agreed to help.
As the relationship between Hossain and the cooperating witness grew, Hossain began to discuss religion and, in particular, jihad with him. Hossain acknowledged that there was both an inner jihad and a violent outer jihad, and added that he believed now was not the time for violent jihad.
During subsequent conversations, Hossain asked the cooperating witness for a loan. And it was at about this time that the sting began.
The cooperating witness brought a shoulder-fired missile to a meeting with Mr. Hossain and explained that he imports such things and ships them to New York City to the Muhajid (ph) brothers -- implying terrorist operatives -- to shoot down airplanes.
COMEY: The court documents allege that Hossain agreed to help launder the money that the cooperating witness represented was going to be the proceeds of the sale of the missile.
The cooperating witness, the plan they conceived would go, would give Hossain cash, who would then run that money through his businesses in Albany and repay the cooperating witness using business checks. Hossain recommended that Aref should serve as a witness and guarantor for the transaction.
At various times in the winter of last year and through this summer, Hossain and Aref met with the cooperating witness to receive cash that was represented to come from the missile transaction.
The cooperating witness continued his ruse by saying that he was engaged in buying ammunition for Jaish-i-Mohammed, a group the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, and that the missile would be used against the Pakistani ambassador in New York to retaliate against the leadership of Pakistan for helping the United States in the war on terror.
Both Hossain and Aref continued to support the government's cooperating witness in his efforts. Aref, at one point, even cautioning the cooperating witness to beware of government surveillance and warning him the authorities would arrest anyone helping those people.
After numerous meetings that were audio- and videotaped, Hossain and Aref received a total of about $40,000 in cash and returned to the cooperating witness $25,000 in checks that they believed was his money coming from the missile transaction. Let me say a word about what this case is and what it is not.
This is not a case connected to the current terrorist threat. This is not a case where the defendants were discovered plotting terrorist violence.
The terrorist plot in this case is one that the government's agent, the cooperating witness, represented to be under way. It was not real. It was represented.
COMEY: This case is a sting, a sting in which the government offered two men the opportunity to assist someone who they believed was a terrorist facilitator, supplying weapons to be used to commit terrorist acts.
That does not mean, however, that this is not an important case. But I wanted to put it in perspective for you, particularly given the justified concerns, in this country and elsewhere, about an Al Qaeda attack.
This case is important because we hope it will send a disrupting message to those out there who might be plotting to harm people in this country, around the world.
We are working very, very hard to infiltrate the enemy. Our agents and our informants are putting a full-court press on in this country and around the world. Anyone engaging in terrorist planning would be very wise to consider whether their accomplice is not really one of our guys.
Both men arrested in this case remain in custody and will stay in custody until a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled, but I would expect it will be early next week.
I want to thank the FBI and particularly the great work of its Albany Joint Terrorist Task Force, which is made up of FBI agents, New York State Police, troopers, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, State Department, the Albany and Schenectady police departments and the IRS, who track money better than anyone around.
Now I would like to introduce Assistant Director Gary Bald.
GARY BALD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM, FBI: Thank you, sir.
Good afternoon.
I'd like to just echo what Deputy Attorney General Comey said. You all hear often about the great cooperation that we have within the Joint Terrorism Task Force. It's absolutely critical to this case and to our other cases that we draw on the expertise and the partnerships that we've developed with state and local law enforcement, as well as the intelligence community and other agencies that pull together that help us investigate terrorism matters.
This was a complex case. It was over a year long. And it involved the use of many investigative tools, both on the intelligence side and on the criminal side. The ability to blend those tools into one investigation is absolutely vital for our continued success in counterterrorism.
I'd just like to also add my thanks and that of the directors to Special Agent-in-Charge William Chase of the Albany division of the FBI and also to Glenn Suddaby, United States attorney for the Northern District of New York, and for his staff for the great assistance and partnership that we had in doing this investigation.
BALD: Thanks.
COMEY: Thank you, Gary.
We'll take any questions you might have.
QUESTION: It's been represented to us that these two men have some association with Ansar al-Islam, although that information is not reflected in the court papers. Are these men connected to any external terrorist group?
COMEY: Because it's not reflected in court papers, it's not something that I can comment on.
I would expect that at a detention hearing in this case, the government may well, in an effort to meet its burden to demonstrate that these people should be held without bail, have an opportunity to say something about what we know about the background of one or both of these defendants.
So I'll leave it at that.
QUESTION: (inaudible) it seems -- I mean, if you've said that Hossain said that now is not the time for violent jihad and you also admitted they weren't taking part in any terrorist plot, it seems to be going to extremes just to make a point that you don't want people to take -- you know, watch out for who you might be dealing with next.
I'm sure you're going to get criticized for -- I mean, are you just picking on these guys because they're leaders of a mosque?
COMEY: Certainly not. I can't say more at this point about what we might know about the backgrounds of these.
We have way too much to do to spend our time just doing what you said. We believe there was ample predication for this investigation, and we'll have an opportunity to put our proof on at the appropriate time.
QUESTION: What first led you to these gentlemen? Was it just the fake ID, and then you said, "Well, here's an opportunity to set up a sting"?
Because it seems, from reading the court papers, that he just wanted to get a loan after talking to this informant, and during one of these meetings, someone pulls out a missile and says, "By the way, this is how we're making the money."
What led you to these individuals?
COMEY: Well, as the complaint lays out, the first connection between Mr. Hossain and the cooperating witness came when Hossain asked for help to fraudulently get a driver's license for his brother. They established a relationship. They talked quite a bit. And then, the informant offered this opportunity of Mr. Hossain. Other than that, you described it accurately.
QUESTION: Is it safe to say, as you do with this case and other cases, that if these guys are looking at decades in prison, that your real goal is to get perhaps more names from them, more information, especially in this context now, where you're worried about a terrorist attack in the U.S.?
COMEY: Well, obviously -- I mean, I can't say in this case in particular. We're always interested in any information that a defendant might have and might offer in an opportunity to get a reduced sentence. That goes on in every criminal case.
The point I'm trying to make, and I hope you got it toward the end of my remarks, is, this is not the case of the century.
There's a risk that, in the current context, folks will -- I mean, I don't want to run down all of our work. All of our work is really important.
But this is a good case, solid case, sends an important message. But I don't want it misread by the media or anybody else as some sort of breathless announcement of a disrupting of a terrorist plot.
QUESTION: Mr. Comey, could you talk a little bit about the broader context, please? For example, there's been a great deal of activity in Pakistan and Britain that I'm sure you're very interested in and knowledgeable about.
Can you tell us, for example, how important was the arrest of Mr. al-Hindi in Britain, and how important in general was the information that the Americans and the Brits got from the Pakistan raid?
COMEY: That's not something I can comment on.
The only thing I can say is that there is, as you said at the beginning of your question, an awful lot going on around the world. Authorities are working very closely here and overseas to try and disrupt, dismantle Al Qaeda operations.
We have, as we've said before, reason to believe that we are in a very serious threat environment. And we're working like crazy to try and make sure that threat does not come to fruition.
QUESTION: Can you characterize, in a general way, the importance of the arrests in Britain, for example?
COMEY: I can't, at this point. QUESTION: The intelligence in Pakistan pointed to detailed reconnaissance missions the last three or four years. Does the Justice Department believe that it's any closer to identifying the people who may have carried out those casing missions?
COMEY: I can't say, at this point. Obviously it's something that we are intensely interested in and devoting a lot of resources to.
QUESTION: Given the communications between Mohammed Khan and at least one individual in the U.S., how concerned are you that there may be active Al Qaeda cells in the U.S.? And should we expect to have more arrests in the next few weeks?
COMEY: I can't comment on the second part of the question.
The first part of the question, we're obviously very concerned. We've been trying to communicate, and I think we have communicated effectively over the last couple of months, that there is a serious threat out there, that this is the real deal, and that we are working very hard to disrupt.
It's always something we worry about, whether there might be operatives here in the United States, and it's something that we work very aggressively on.
Part of the point I hope people take away from this is, we do this kind of stuff. We put out there and make offers to people to see if we can get information and find the bad guys. We really do want the bad guys to worry that anybody they deal with might be one of our people.
QUESTION: Can you tell us where the missiles went in New York and how many there were in Albany, or was it just this one that was displayed?
COMEY: It was one missile. It was our missile, a disarmed RP-7, I believe. And I'm no expert in missiles, but a shoulder-fired, man- portable missile.
There was never any danger of it falling into the bad guy's hands or being used, because it was our missile and it was inert. This was a sting.
QUESTION: Do you have indication that there is additional terrorism-support activity in Albany or any indication Hossain was, as he bragged, an administrator for Jamar As-Islami (ph)?
COMEY: I can't comment on either of those. I can't go beyond the public record on that. I'm sorry.
QUESTION: Jim, is it the case here that this sting operation was only mounted after extensive electronic surveillance on these gentlemen failed to yield any indictable offenses?
COMEY: I can't answer that. QUESTION: Will you explain to me why legally this is not entrapment?
COMEY: Well, I would expect in a case like this, any case involving a sting -- and I've tried some myself -- entrapment is a defense. And so the question a jury has to answer is, was the defendant dragged into the criminal activity to which he was not predisposed by the government essentially overbearing his will?
And the question that the prosecutors -- and I've done it myself -- ask the jury is, "Well, heck, if somebody showed you a shoulder- fired missile and said we're going to use it to shoot down airplanes, what would you do, at the first meeting, the second meeting?" And that's a question for a jury to answer. It's not one I'm real worried about.
QUESTION: What can you tell us about the informant that you used? It looked like he was working (inaudible) cooperation to get some sort of charges reduced. Can you give us any idea who he is?
COMEY: That's all I can tell you. There is quite a bit, an unusual amount actually, in this complaint that lays out the informant's background, that he is himself a criminal, that he is working with the government in an effort to obtain a reduced sentence. But I can't go beyond that.
QUESTION: What can you tell us about why this went on for so long and why the arrest was made now? Why the decision to make the arrest now?
COMEY: I can't say, because that would be something beyond the public record. It was just the appropriate point in the investigation to do it.
QUESTION: Is there reason to believe that anybody else in Albany was involved in this, besides the people that you mentioned in the papers?
COMEY: We have not alleged that anybody else is involved besides these two men.
QUESTION: In addition to Hossain saying that now is not the time for violent jihad, it seems as if he never sought the missile. Is that correct? He never asked for any access to this missile or ever indicated any desire to use it.
COMEY: That's a fair characterization of the complaint. The informant brought it, showed it to him.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) some criticism, especially at this time now, when you are facing some serious threats, that you're bringing perhaps sort of a lesser case?
COMEY: I hope not. I guess we're always open to criticism. But I hope not. I mean, we do smaller sting cases, we do big conspiracy cases. We play the whole field. And obviously, as the questioner earlier pointed to, there's always an opportunity for a defendant to talk about entrapment, and that's what trials are for.
QUESTION: So would you say that the primary purpose of this case is sort of to serve as a deterrent?
COMEY: Well, the primary purpose of this case is to lock up two guys we believe committed crimes. And we're ready, willing and able to assist someone they believe to be involved in pretty bad stuff.
But, as with every criminal case, we hope that it sends a broader deterrent message, and this one, an unusual kind of message: That is, that we want the bad guy to worry about us, worry that it's us whenever they're dealing with somebody.
QUESTION: Aref confided to your informant that he had been interviewed by the FBI five times, even before the sting started. So what was the nature of those contacts?
COMEY: I can't say. The only thing I'll say is, not to give you tantalizing hints, but there may be an opportunity at a detention hearing for more exploration, as I said, about people's backgrounds. But I can't do that because it's not on the public record.
QUESTION: Has the imam who was arrested made public statements, to your knowledge, that were anti-American, that were in any way advocating violent jihad?
COMEY: Not that I'm aware of, and certainly not that we have alleged. But that doesn't necessarily cover the universe.
QUESTION: To follow up on that earlier question, it does seem since the revelation of the latest terrorist threats there's been increased vigor on the part of law enforcement.
And without implying that there has ever been anything less than a full-court press, has this given law enforcement a second wind, a boost?
COMEY: Yes. Not this case. I mean, I'm sure it's given people who worked on it a boost because they did good work.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
COMEY: Yes, absolutely.
I mean, one of the challenges we face as a country and as a law enforcement community is maintaining that energy, that constant focus. And somehow people have done it.
But the information we've seen over the last couple months would focus even the most tired of people. We got a lot of people who are tired because they've worked so hard, and they're out there redoubling it. PHILLIPS: James Comey, Deputy Attorney General, briefing reporters there, on the Feds apprehending two men in a terrorism sting in upstate New York.
Here's a little bit of what we know so far. Two men arrested in the sting for agreeing to launder money from a missile sale. Yasin Aref and Mohammed Hossain charged with money laundering and conspiring to conceal support and resources for terrorist activity.
Now the missile in question in Albany, which was only a prop, and the property of the U.S. government was billed as a means to assassinate the Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations. The story obviously gets more dramatic with every new detail.
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Aired August 5, 2004 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the news now, a rally for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and runningmate John Edwards at Union Station in St. Louis. It's expected to go a little late, we are told. And Kerry's Vietnam experience take a couple of hits. That's at 3:30 Eastern today, on "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS."
And we're awaiting a Justice Department news conference on the overnight raid in Albany, New York, at the mosque there. We expect to learn more about the sting, where two men were arrested under suspicion of providing support for terrorism. That news conference expected any moment. When it happens, we'll bring it to you live.
Joining forces, responding to a request from the Najaf governor's office, U.S. troops teamed up with Iraqi soldiers to battle Muqtada al Sadr's Mehdi Army. Two U.S. troops were wounded when a U.S. helicopter carrying another wounded U.S. soldier was shot down by small arms fire and had to make a crash landing.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Well, as we told you earlier, some big names in music are coming together in a spirit harking back to the '60s. They are playing for change in the White House.
CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, the Dixie Chicks and R.E.M. -- just some of the rockers joining forces in an effort to oust President Bush.
In what's being called the Vote for Change tour, the Boss and about two dozen artists are taking to the road in key electoral battleground states in hopes that their music can sway undecided voters to join their cause.
MIKE MILLS, R.E.M. BASSIST: The fact is it is a Vote for Change tour. We want a new administration in the White House, and this is the best way we can think of to do it. Nothing like this has ever really been done before, and it seems like it's got to have some kind of positive effect
VARGAS: To some, the tour may recall the mobilization within the rock world during the Vietnam War, when activist artists, such as Bob Dylan, used the power of their music to energize the anti-war movement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think what we're seeing is an extremely high level of participation by artists, primarily rock artists, that started with the war in Iraq.
VARGAS: The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Eyed Peas were just two of the prominent musical groups present at the Democratic National Convention. And when it comes to celebrity endorsements, Kerry seems to have the edge.
But President Bush has found support in country and Christian artists. Ricky Martin and Jessica Simpson have previously loaned their support to the president. And with the Republican National Convention fast approaching, some feel it's just a matter of time before the commander-in-chief unveils his musical counter-attack.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just haven't seen the Bush camp really push that button yet. And I'm sure we'll see some -- some artists come out for Bush. Perhaps not in as strong numbers, but they'll be there.
VARGAS (on camera): Meanwhile, the Vote for Change tour presented by MoveOn PAC kicks off October 1. Proceeds will benefit the Democratic political organization America Coming Together.
Sibila Vargas, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS; We want to know what you think about this. So we asked, do you like some politics mixed in with your music, or not? Cue the music. You like that? Here we go. B.B. says, "Why not? Why should only politicians and pundits offer political views? Musicians, actresses, actors, even sanitary workers have some viewpoints to express about this current administration and the kind of job that they're doing.
Art from California says, "Bruce Springsteen would do well to stick with entertaining and stay out of politics. His credibility as a legitimate entertainer is seriously tarnished. I don't spend big bucks on a concert to hear a political statement."
Then Ronnie says, "Wonderful to hear the Vote for Change Tour will engage young people in the voting process. Many of these artists are icons to young people, and it's appropriate they use their influence to call the attention to the importance of this election."
And then finally, John Trout out of Maryland: "I don't like it when musicians actively promote their political opinions. Music should be an escape from the things that divide us, not a reminder."
Well, our bosses love to work, and she loved her job, but also loved pork on her pizza at lunchtime. Guess what, it got her fired? We'll talk about that, coming up. Also, in his own words, the first man to see that the filthy guy in the obscure spider hole in Iraq was, indeed, Saddam Hussein. You do not want to miss this interview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Prosecutors asked for more time to file charges against Mark Hacking in the death of his wife. They're seeking an extension until Monday. Police and cadaver dogs returned to a Salt Lake City landfill overnight to look for the remains. Mark Hacking is being held on suspicion that he killed Lori and threw her body into a dumpster.
Things get dicey when you call 911. You pretty count on having the operator's undivided attention, right? Well, in Maryland's Anne Arundel County, a few days ago, that was not exactly the case, when Trisha Berg (ph) called during the wee hours to report a prowler.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CALLER: Hello?
OPERATOR: Yes?
CALLER: I was just wondering if you were still there.
OPERATOR: Yes. (INAUDIBLE). What's the problem?
CALLER: I already told you. You don't remember me telling you what was wrong?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Not good. Yes, that was the dispatcher snoring. Berg complained. Police are investigating. The 11-year employee is currently on vacation, presumably getting some rest.
When Lina Morales (ph) came to the United States in 1999, she didn't speak English, but understood if she learned the language and worked hard, she could get a good job and make her dreams come true.
We're going to get to that story in one moment. But now we want to take you live to the Justice Department. We're going to hear more about that mosque raid in Albany, New York.
JAMES COMEY, DEP. ATTY. GENERAL, DEPT. OF JUSTICE: Good afternoon, folks.
I'm joined behind the podium by Gary Bald, who is assistant director at the FBI for counterterrorism; Christopher Wray, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; and Glenn Suddaby, who is the United States attorney for the Northern District of New York.
Last night, FBI agents in Albany, New York, arrested two men on the basis of warrants issued on a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Albany. Those men have been identified as 34-year-old Yassin Muheddin (ph) Aref and 49-year-old Mohammed Musharraf (ph) Hossain.
Aref is the imam of the Masjid As-Salam Mosque in Albany, and Hossain is the founder of that mosque.
According to the complaint filed in the case, Hossain reached out to a cooperating witness, who was working with the FBI last summer, and sought this witness's help in securing, fraudulently, a New York state driver's permit for his brother. The cooperating witness, with the help of the Albany Joint Terrorism Task Force, agreed to help.
As the relationship between Hossain and the cooperating witness grew, Hossain began to discuss religion and, in particular, jihad with him. Hossain acknowledged that there was both an inner jihad and a violent outer jihad, and added that he believed now was not the time for violent jihad.
During subsequent conversations, Hossain asked the cooperating witness for a loan. And it was at about this time that the sting began.
The cooperating witness brought a shoulder-fired missile to a meeting with Mr. Hossain and explained that he imports such things and ships them to New York City to the Muhajid (ph) brothers -- implying terrorist operatives -- to shoot down airplanes.
COMEY: The court documents allege that Hossain agreed to help launder the money that the cooperating witness represented was going to be the proceeds of the sale of the missile.
The cooperating witness, the plan they conceived would go, would give Hossain cash, who would then run that money through his businesses in Albany and repay the cooperating witness using business checks. Hossain recommended that Aref should serve as a witness and guarantor for the transaction.
At various times in the winter of last year and through this summer, Hossain and Aref met with the cooperating witness to receive cash that was represented to come from the missile transaction.
The cooperating witness continued his ruse by saying that he was engaged in buying ammunition for Jaish-i-Mohammed, a group the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, and that the missile would be used against the Pakistani ambassador in New York to retaliate against the leadership of Pakistan for helping the United States in the war on terror.
Both Hossain and Aref continued to support the government's cooperating witness in his efforts. Aref, at one point, even cautioning the cooperating witness to beware of government surveillance and warning him the authorities would arrest anyone helping those people.
After numerous meetings that were audio- and videotaped, Hossain and Aref received a total of about $40,000 in cash and returned to the cooperating witness $25,000 in checks that they believed was his money coming from the missile transaction. Let me say a word about what this case is and what it is not.
This is not a case connected to the current terrorist threat. This is not a case where the defendants were discovered plotting terrorist violence.
The terrorist plot in this case is one that the government's agent, the cooperating witness, represented to be under way. It was not real. It was represented.
COMEY: This case is a sting, a sting in which the government offered two men the opportunity to assist someone who they believed was a terrorist facilitator, supplying weapons to be used to commit terrorist acts.
That does not mean, however, that this is not an important case. But I wanted to put it in perspective for you, particularly given the justified concerns, in this country and elsewhere, about an Al Qaeda attack.
This case is important because we hope it will send a disrupting message to those out there who might be plotting to harm people in this country, around the world.
We are working very, very hard to infiltrate the enemy. Our agents and our informants are putting a full-court press on in this country and around the world. Anyone engaging in terrorist planning would be very wise to consider whether their accomplice is not really one of our guys.
Both men arrested in this case remain in custody and will stay in custody until a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled, but I would expect it will be early next week.
I want to thank the FBI and particularly the great work of its Albany Joint Terrorist Task Force, which is made up of FBI agents, New York State Police, troopers, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, State Department, the Albany and Schenectady police departments and the IRS, who track money better than anyone around.
Now I would like to introduce Assistant Director Gary Bald.
GARY BALD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM, FBI: Thank you, sir.
Good afternoon.
I'd like to just echo what Deputy Attorney General Comey said. You all hear often about the great cooperation that we have within the Joint Terrorism Task Force. It's absolutely critical to this case and to our other cases that we draw on the expertise and the partnerships that we've developed with state and local law enforcement, as well as the intelligence community and other agencies that pull together that help us investigate terrorism matters.
This was a complex case. It was over a year long. And it involved the use of many investigative tools, both on the intelligence side and on the criminal side. The ability to blend those tools into one investigation is absolutely vital for our continued success in counterterrorism.
I'd just like to also add my thanks and that of the directors to Special Agent-in-Charge William Chase of the Albany division of the FBI and also to Glenn Suddaby, United States attorney for the Northern District of New York, and for his staff for the great assistance and partnership that we had in doing this investigation.
BALD: Thanks.
COMEY: Thank you, Gary.
We'll take any questions you might have.
QUESTION: It's been represented to us that these two men have some association with Ansar al-Islam, although that information is not reflected in the court papers. Are these men connected to any external terrorist group?
COMEY: Because it's not reflected in court papers, it's not something that I can comment on.
I would expect that at a detention hearing in this case, the government may well, in an effort to meet its burden to demonstrate that these people should be held without bail, have an opportunity to say something about what we know about the background of one or both of these defendants.
So I'll leave it at that.
QUESTION: (inaudible) it seems -- I mean, if you've said that Hossain said that now is not the time for violent jihad and you also admitted they weren't taking part in any terrorist plot, it seems to be going to extremes just to make a point that you don't want people to take -- you know, watch out for who you might be dealing with next.
I'm sure you're going to get criticized for -- I mean, are you just picking on these guys because they're leaders of a mosque?
COMEY: Certainly not. I can't say more at this point about what we might know about the backgrounds of these.
We have way too much to do to spend our time just doing what you said. We believe there was ample predication for this investigation, and we'll have an opportunity to put our proof on at the appropriate time.
QUESTION: What first led you to these gentlemen? Was it just the fake ID, and then you said, "Well, here's an opportunity to set up a sting"?
Because it seems, from reading the court papers, that he just wanted to get a loan after talking to this informant, and during one of these meetings, someone pulls out a missile and says, "By the way, this is how we're making the money."
What led you to these individuals?
COMEY: Well, as the complaint lays out, the first connection between Mr. Hossain and the cooperating witness came when Hossain asked for help to fraudulently get a driver's license for his brother. They established a relationship. They talked quite a bit. And then, the informant offered this opportunity of Mr. Hossain. Other than that, you described it accurately.
QUESTION: Is it safe to say, as you do with this case and other cases, that if these guys are looking at decades in prison, that your real goal is to get perhaps more names from them, more information, especially in this context now, where you're worried about a terrorist attack in the U.S.?
COMEY: Well, obviously -- I mean, I can't say in this case in particular. We're always interested in any information that a defendant might have and might offer in an opportunity to get a reduced sentence. That goes on in every criminal case.
The point I'm trying to make, and I hope you got it toward the end of my remarks, is, this is not the case of the century.
There's a risk that, in the current context, folks will -- I mean, I don't want to run down all of our work. All of our work is really important.
But this is a good case, solid case, sends an important message. But I don't want it misread by the media or anybody else as some sort of breathless announcement of a disrupting of a terrorist plot.
QUESTION: Mr. Comey, could you talk a little bit about the broader context, please? For example, there's been a great deal of activity in Pakistan and Britain that I'm sure you're very interested in and knowledgeable about.
Can you tell us, for example, how important was the arrest of Mr. al-Hindi in Britain, and how important in general was the information that the Americans and the Brits got from the Pakistan raid?
COMEY: That's not something I can comment on.
The only thing I can say is that there is, as you said at the beginning of your question, an awful lot going on around the world. Authorities are working very closely here and overseas to try and disrupt, dismantle Al Qaeda operations.
We have, as we've said before, reason to believe that we are in a very serious threat environment. And we're working like crazy to try and make sure that threat does not come to fruition.
QUESTION: Can you characterize, in a general way, the importance of the arrests in Britain, for example?
COMEY: I can't, at this point. QUESTION: The intelligence in Pakistan pointed to detailed reconnaissance missions the last three or four years. Does the Justice Department believe that it's any closer to identifying the people who may have carried out those casing missions?
COMEY: I can't say, at this point. Obviously it's something that we are intensely interested in and devoting a lot of resources to.
QUESTION: Given the communications between Mohammed Khan and at least one individual in the U.S., how concerned are you that there may be active Al Qaeda cells in the U.S.? And should we expect to have more arrests in the next few weeks?
COMEY: I can't comment on the second part of the question.
The first part of the question, we're obviously very concerned. We've been trying to communicate, and I think we have communicated effectively over the last couple of months, that there is a serious threat out there, that this is the real deal, and that we are working very hard to disrupt.
It's always something we worry about, whether there might be operatives here in the United States, and it's something that we work very aggressively on.
Part of the point I hope people take away from this is, we do this kind of stuff. We put out there and make offers to people to see if we can get information and find the bad guys. We really do want the bad guys to worry that anybody they deal with might be one of our people.
QUESTION: Can you tell us where the missiles went in New York and how many there were in Albany, or was it just this one that was displayed?
COMEY: It was one missile. It was our missile, a disarmed RP-7, I believe. And I'm no expert in missiles, but a shoulder-fired, man- portable missile.
There was never any danger of it falling into the bad guy's hands or being used, because it was our missile and it was inert. This was a sting.
QUESTION: Do you have indication that there is additional terrorism-support activity in Albany or any indication Hossain was, as he bragged, an administrator for Jamar As-Islami (ph)?
COMEY: I can't comment on either of those. I can't go beyond the public record on that. I'm sorry.
QUESTION: Jim, is it the case here that this sting operation was only mounted after extensive electronic surveillance on these gentlemen failed to yield any indictable offenses?
COMEY: I can't answer that. QUESTION: Will you explain to me why legally this is not entrapment?
COMEY: Well, I would expect in a case like this, any case involving a sting -- and I've tried some myself -- entrapment is a defense. And so the question a jury has to answer is, was the defendant dragged into the criminal activity to which he was not predisposed by the government essentially overbearing his will?
And the question that the prosecutors -- and I've done it myself -- ask the jury is, "Well, heck, if somebody showed you a shoulder- fired missile and said we're going to use it to shoot down airplanes, what would you do, at the first meeting, the second meeting?" And that's a question for a jury to answer. It's not one I'm real worried about.
QUESTION: What can you tell us about the informant that you used? It looked like he was working (inaudible) cooperation to get some sort of charges reduced. Can you give us any idea who he is?
COMEY: That's all I can tell you. There is quite a bit, an unusual amount actually, in this complaint that lays out the informant's background, that he is himself a criminal, that he is working with the government in an effort to obtain a reduced sentence. But I can't go beyond that.
QUESTION: What can you tell us about why this went on for so long and why the arrest was made now? Why the decision to make the arrest now?
COMEY: I can't say, because that would be something beyond the public record. It was just the appropriate point in the investigation to do it.
QUESTION: Is there reason to believe that anybody else in Albany was involved in this, besides the people that you mentioned in the papers?
COMEY: We have not alleged that anybody else is involved besides these two men.
QUESTION: In addition to Hossain saying that now is not the time for violent jihad, it seems as if he never sought the missile. Is that correct? He never asked for any access to this missile or ever indicated any desire to use it.
COMEY: That's a fair characterization of the complaint. The informant brought it, showed it to him.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) some criticism, especially at this time now, when you are facing some serious threats, that you're bringing perhaps sort of a lesser case?
COMEY: I hope not. I guess we're always open to criticism. But I hope not. I mean, we do smaller sting cases, we do big conspiracy cases. We play the whole field. And obviously, as the questioner earlier pointed to, there's always an opportunity for a defendant to talk about entrapment, and that's what trials are for.
QUESTION: So would you say that the primary purpose of this case is sort of to serve as a deterrent?
COMEY: Well, the primary purpose of this case is to lock up two guys we believe committed crimes. And we're ready, willing and able to assist someone they believe to be involved in pretty bad stuff.
But, as with every criminal case, we hope that it sends a broader deterrent message, and this one, an unusual kind of message: That is, that we want the bad guy to worry about us, worry that it's us whenever they're dealing with somebody.
QUESTION: Aref confided to your informant that he had been interviewed by the FBI five times, even before the sting started. So what was the nature of those contacts?
COMEY: I can't say. The only thing I'll say is, not to give you tantalizing hints, but there may be an opportunity at a detention hearing for more exploration, as I said, about people's backgrounds. But I can't do that because it's not on the public record.
QUESTION: Has the imam who was arrested made public statements, to your knowledge, that were anti-American, that were in any way advocating violent jihad?
COMEY: Not that I'm aware of, and certainly not that we have alleged. But that doesn't necessarily cover the universe.
QUESTION: To follow up on that earlier question, it does seem since the revelation of the latest terrorist threats there's been increased vigor on the part of law enforcement.
And without implying that there has ever been anything less than a full-court press, has this given law enforcement a second wind, a boost?
COMEY: Yes. Not this case. I mean, I'm sure it's given people who worked on it a boost because they did good work.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
COMEY: Yes, absolutely.
I mean, one of the challenges we face as a country and as a law enforcement community is maintaining that energy, that constant focus. And somehow people have done it.
But the information we've seen over the last couple months would focus even the most tired of people. We got a lot of people who are tired because they've worked so hard, and they're out there redoubling it. PHILLIPS: James Comey, Deputy Attorney General, briefing reporters there, on the Feds apprehending two men in a terrorism sting in upstate New York.
Here's a little bit of what we know so far. Two men arrested in the sting for agreeing to launder money from a missile sale. Yasin Aref and Mohammed Hossain charged with money laundering and conspiring to conceal support and resources for terrorist activity.
Now the missile in question in Albany, which was only a prop, and the property of the U.S. government was billed as a means to assassinate the Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations. The story obviously gets more dramatic with every new detail.
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