Man Says He Was Imprisoned for Refusing To Spy On Community for FBI: Unknowingly Married an 'Agent' — Was 'Set Up' When He Refused To Join Entrapment Operation

Ayyub Abdul-Alim.

By Ryan Brennan
Ayyub Abdul-Alim, son of Qasim Abdul-Alim and Nasiba Abdul-Alim, is a Black man who comes from a Muslim background. He suffered a lot of moving throughout his early life. He was born in Harlem, New York, but moved to Amherst, Massachusetts in 1988. He flip-flopped between the two cities during his teenage life.

In 2006, Ayyub moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. His mission was to build a “visible, influential, Muslim Community there.” In Springfield, Ayyub focused most of his efforts in the Black and Latino community. He contacted the owner of a commercial building and ended up landing a job as the building manager. the structure included 23 apartments and three store fronts. He used the three store-fronts for an Islamic Center for the Muslim Community, a health food store, and a counseling/job assistance and housing referral office.

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In August of 2010, Ayyub met Siham Nafai. An immigrant from Morocco, Siham and Ayyub began dating. Shortly after, the two got married. However, Ayyub wasn’t aware that his new wife was really a paid FBI agent. Ayyub says a year later, he got a call from a special agent, James Higsin, saying that he wanted Ayyub to be an informant for the FBI. He would receive names of specific targets in the Springfield Black and Latino community in the Mason Square area and in the Muslim communities.

The FBI’s goal was for Ayyub to have “anti-government conversations with the use of violence for entrapment purposes.” After refusing to do so, Ayyub was randomly arrested that December. He was given a fabricated gun charge. He was offered his freedom if he became an informant one last time, otherwise facing up to 15 years in prison. Ayyub, again, refused.

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