Defendant Imam Yassin Aref exits the rear of the federal courthouse in Albany, New York August 5, 2004. The FBI (news - web sites) raided an Albany, New York, mosque Thursday and arrested its founder and imam in a sting operation involving money laundering, a shoulder-fired missile and a fake plot to kill the Pakistani ambassador. Imam Yassin Aref and founder Mohammed Hossain were arrested after overnight raids on houses and the Masjid As-Salaam mosque, Deputy Attorney General James Comey said. Authorities said the arrests were unrelated to the recently raised terror threat level about possible attacks on financial buildings in New York, Washington and Newark, New Jersey. REUTERS/Chip East
