CHICAGO: A suspect in a series of killings of Muslim men that took place over a period of 10 months in Albuquerque, New Mexico, now faces three murder charges, local police said.
Muhammad Syed, 51, was charged on Monday with first degree murder in connection with the death of Naeem Hussain, 25, who was shot and killed on Aug. 5 after attending the funeral of two other alleged victims.
Syed had already been charged in connection with the shooting deaths of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1 and Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26. Police said that Syed also remains their “prime suspect” in the killing of Mohammed Amir Ahmadi, 62, on Nov. 7, 2021, and investigations are continuing.
“Our homicide detectives continue to work with prosecutors to ensure all victims receive justice in this tragic case,” said Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina. He confirmed that Syed has now been formally charged with first degree murder in three of the four killings, which shocked New Mexico's Muslim community.
Also on Monday, it was revealed that a grand jury has indicted Syed on three counts of tampering with evidence in connection with the three murder charges.
According to police, Syed allegedly shot Naeem Hussain as he sat in the driver’s seat of his vehicle in a parking lot. Hussain’s friends told officers he had attended the funerals of Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain earlier that day.
Detectives said video-surveillance footage showed a gray Volkswagen Jetta leaving the scene after Hussain was shot. Police released a photo of the vehicle on Aug. 8 and said tips from the public, including members of Albuquerque’s Muslim community, and additional video footage helped them identify it and owner. Syed was arrested on Aug. 9 and charged with the first two murders.
Police have not commented on the possible motive for the killings.
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Suspect in series of Muslim killings in Albuquerque faces third murder charge
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Suspect in series of Muslim killings in Albuquerque faces third murder charge
- Muhammad Syed, 51, had already been charged with the murders of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41; on Monday he was charged with killing Naeem Hussain, 25
- Police said that Syed also remains their “prime suspect” in the killing of Mohammed Amir Ahmadi, 62, and their investigations are continuing
Mali, Burkina say restricting entry for US nationals in reciprocal move
ABIDJAN: Mali and Burkina Faso have announced travel restrictions on American nationals in a tit-for-tat move after the US included both African countries on a no-entry list.
In statements issued separately by both countries’ foreign ministries and seen Wednesday by AFP, they said they were imposing “equivalent measures” on US citizens, after President Donald Trump expanded a travel ban to nearly 40 countries this month, based solely on nationality.
That list included Syrian citizens, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, and nationals of some of Africa’s poorest countries including also Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan.
The White House said it was banning foreigners who “intend to threaten” Americans.
Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said in the statement that it was applying “equivalent visa measures” on Americans, while Mali said it was, “with immediate effect,” applying “the same conditions and requirements on American nationals that the American authorities have imposed on Malian citizens entering the United States.”
It voiced its “regret” that the United States had made “such an important decision without the slightest prior consultation.”
The two sub-Saharan countries, both run by military juntas, are members of a confederation that also includes Niger.
Niger has not officially announced any counter-measures to the US travel ban, but the country’s news agency, citing a diplomatic source, said last week that such measures had been decided.
In his December 17 announcement, Trump also imposed partial travel restrictions on citizens of other African countries including the most populous, Nigeria, as well as Ivory Coast and Senegal, which qualified for the football World Cup to be played next year in the United States as well as Canada and Mexico.
In statements issued separately by both countries’ foreign ministries and seen Wednesday by AFP, they said they were imposing “equivalent measures” on US citizens, after President Donald Trump expanded a travel ban to nearly 40 countries this month, based solely on nationality.
That list included Syrian citizens, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, and nationals of some of Africa’s poorest countries including also Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan.
The White House said it was banning foreigners who “intend to threaten” Americans.
Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said in the statement that it was applying “equivalent visa measures” on Americans, while Mali said it was, “with immediate effect,” applying “the same conditions and requirements on American nationals that the American authorities have imposed on Malian citizens entering the United States.”
It voiced its “regret” that the United States had made “such an important decision without the slightest prior consultation.”
The two sub-Saharan countries, both run by military juntas, are members of a confederation that also includes Niger.
Niger has not officially announced any counter-measures to the US travel ban, but the country’s news agency, citing a diplomatic source, said last week that such measures had been decided.
In his December 17 announcement, Trump also imposed partial travel restrictions on citizens of other African countries including the most populous, Nigeria, as well as Ivory Coast and Senegal, which qualified for the football World Cup to be played next year in the United States as well as Canada and Mexico.
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