Biography
Mohammed Yousry was an adjunct professor in Middle East studies at York College and court appointed translator who while in the service of the attorney of imprisoned Muslim cleric Omar Abdel Rahman worked to translate a letter that Yousry had written which his attorney released to the media which clarified the Clerics position on a ceasefire agreement between militants and the Egyptian government after it was falsely reported by the media that the cleric was urging the militants to engage in violence. The letter stated, "I Omar Abdel-Rahman am not withdrawing my support of the cease-fire, I am merely questioning it and I am urging you, who are on the ground there to discuss it and to include everyone in your discussions as we always have done." For translating this letter he was charged with conspiring to provide, and providing material support to terrorism and conspiring to defraud the U.S. government. FBI Agents surveilled Yousry for 3 years. Wiretapped his phones, opened his mail yet found no evidence of him at any point breaking any laws. Despite this the prosecution claimed without presenting any evidence that Yoursy was, "in touch with Middle Eastern terrorists." Yoursy was found guilty at trial and later a juror would tell U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, that rather than decide guilt based on the evidence the other jurors wanted to, "teach Yousry a lesson" as payback for 9/11.
