Metro Briefing | New York:
Published: November 11, 2004
New York Times
A California congresswoman said yesterday that she had tipped off federal agents to an alleged terror conspiracy at an Albany mosque, which resulted in the arrests of two of its leaders. Representative Diane Watson, a Democrat representing part of Los Angeles County, said she reached out to the F.B.I. in late 2003 or early 2004 to warn them, based on information from a friend who worked at the mosque. The mosque leaders, Yasin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, were arrested in August and charged with money laundering and supporting terrorism after an F.B.I. sting operation. Special Agent Darren Semprebon of the F.B.I.'s Albany office, however, said, ''This case was going long before'' December 2003. The congresswoman made the statement during a meeting of Sept. 11 families in Washington.