As investigations into the killings of four Muslim men from Albuquerque continue, federal prosecutors are now alleging that the son of a man arrested in connection to at least two of the four murders may have been involved. The Albuquerque Police Department and FBI arrested 51-year-old Muhammad Syed as their “primary suspect” on Aug. 9 in connection to the murders of 41-year-old Aftab Hussein and 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain. While Syed has not yet been connected to the other two murders, police officials believe his son may have been connected to at least one.
Documents filed Friday by the U.S. attorney for New Mexico allege that Shaheen Syed, son of Muhammad Syed, may be connected to the killing of Naeem Hussain on Aug. 5 and Mohammad Ahmadi on Nov. 7, 2021.
According to The Albuquerque Journal, days after his father’s arrest, the 21-year-old—previously known as Maiwand Syed—was taken into federal custody and charged with providing a false address when he purchased a gun in June 2021. At the time of purchase, Shaheen Syed allegedly claimed he was a Florida resident.
In a motion to detain him, prosecutors described him as a "serial liar" and a flight risk. According to the Journal, they referenced cell phone records indicating potential aid when his father was surveilling victim Naeem Hussain. The motion also includes prior police reports in which Shaheen Syed allegedly assaulted his father and 16-year-old sister.
Prosecutors also claimed Shaheen Syed had an outstanding warrant for that incident of domestic violence. The motion also cited police reports suggesting the younger Syed and his brother, Adil, were allegedly involved in another shooting outside a Walmart, the Journal reported.
"Telephone calls between Muhammad Atif Syed and the defendant would be consistent with quick surveillance calls, both before and after the shooting," according to the U.S. attorney's office. "And there appears to be no logical reason for the defendant to have just happened to have been in the vicinity of the murder scene so shortly after Mr. Hussain was murdered."
On Saturday, Shaheen Syed’s attorney, John Anderson, filed a response to the motion noting that connections made by the police to the murders were based on "exceedingly thin and speculative” evidence.
Anderson’s motion also said that the younger Syed never received a summons for the domestic violence incident and includes a photo of a Florida driver’s license issued to Shaheen Syed in 2021.
"The United States’ motion boils down to an effort to detain Defendant for a crime with which he has not even been charged," Anderson said in the response. "If the United States or the State of New Mexico does not have sufficient evidence even to charge Defendant with any involvement in the murders, Defendant should not be detained based on supposed involvement in those murders."
According to Daily Kos, the elder Syed was arrested days after police officials called for help in finding a vehicle thought to be connected to the murder of the four Muslim men.
Authorities not only found Syed in the Volkswagen Jetta they were searching for, but found evidence that connected Syed to at least two of the four murders, including the gun matching bullet casings found at two of the murder scenes.
Neither Syed has been charged for any of the murders at this time, NBC News reported.
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