Judge Won't Drop Charges in Mosque Sting

ALBANY, N.Y. - A federal judge refused to dismiss charges against two Muslims arrested in an
FBI anti-terrorism sting, rejecting claims that evidence was tainted by use of illegal warrantless wiretaps.

U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy's "classified" order leaves secret his reasons for also turning down defense requests to suppress any evidence acquired from warrantless wiretaps or force authorities to disclose whether they were used in the Albany case.

His three-sentence public order was issued late Friday.

Yassin Aref, 35, an imam at Masjid as-Salam in Albany, and Mohammed Hossain, 50, are accused of laundering money in 2003-2004 for an FBI informant, a Pakistani businessman posing as an arms dealer. Neither is accused of actual violence.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060311/ap_on_re_us/mosque_raid