Suspect in gun case: FBI tried entrapment

ALBANY -- A Pakistani immigrant who was used as an FBI informant in two controversial counterterrorism stings in Albany and Newburgh has surfaced in an investigation of a western Pennsylvania man who was arrested this week on federal gun charges.

Khalifah Al-Akili, 34, who lives near Pittsburgh, told the Times Union in an interview yesterday that the FBI recently used Shahed Hussain -- an informant in two terrorism-related cases in the upstate cities -- in an apparent attempt to test Al-Akili's interest in jihad and anti-American views.

"This is not the first situation that I've had involving the FBI attempting to entrap me," Al-Akili said by phone before his Thursday arrest by the FBI. "In 2005, they sent another informant that was very clear to me. I praise God for this that every time they do send someone I'm able to detect it almost immediately."

Regarding Hussain, who Al-Akli said went by the name "Mohammed," Al-Akili said he was approached by him and another man, who used the name "Shareef," in January when they turned up in his neighborhood and repeatedly made attempts to get close to Al-Akili.

But Al-Akili said he quickly figured out Hussain's identity as an FBI informant. He said the men were "too obvious" and requested receipts even for small items they purchased like coffee and doughnuts.

Al-Akili said Shareef also asked Al-Akili repeatedly whether he could help him purchase a gun. Al-Akili said he told the man he could not help.

Al-Akili said his suspicions the men were informants were confirmed when he saw a photograph of Hussain on the Internet. In addition, he said, a cellphone number Hussain had given him was the same one used by Hussain during a 2009 counterterrorism investigation against four Newburgh men in the small Orange County city.

Al-Akili was arrested during an FBI raid of his home in Wilkinsburg, Pa. He was charged in a federal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The complaint filed in U.S. District Court said federal agents obtained an email with a 7-second video showing Al-Akili firing a .22-caliber rifle at a shooting range in 2010. Federal agents said Al-Akili was prohibited from possessing a gun because of a 2001 drug conviction.

No terrorism-related charges were filed against him.

But at a detention hearing Friday, FBI agent Joseph M. Bieshelt said the search of Al-Akili's home uncovered "jihadist literature and books on U.S. military tactics," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said. A federal magistrate judge ordered that Al-Akili be held without bail, pending trial.