Yassin Aref

Aref's name was found in a notebook in Iraq, prompting an FBI sting operation. An informant offered a $50,000 loan to Mohammed Hossain, an pizza shop owner and friend of Aref. The informant told Hossain that the money was made from deal to get a surface-to-air missile deal to kill the Pakistani ambassador to the UN. Aref was brought in to witness the deal and charged with providing material support. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

• 2 Men Snared In Missile Sting
• US ex-imam jailed over fake plot
• Bad translation used against missile-money defendants

• Timeline: The Making of an FBI Superinformant

  Busted for scamming the DMV, Shahed Hussain turned state's evidence—and found a new career.

• "This Is for Destroying Airplanes"

  Secret video shot by an FBI superinformant on the job.

• FBI Spies and Suspects, in Their Own Words

  Tales of undercover informants and unsuspecting suspects, ripped from the pages of federal terrorism investigations.

• The Serial Snitch

  Six defendants, two cases, one smooth operator: A sample from our terror-trial database.

• History and Character of Yassin Aref
• Sentencing Memorandum