Muhammad Syed pleads not guilty in killings of 3 Muslim men

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Muhammad Syed appears for an arraignment via Zoom from the Metropolitan Detention Center on Friday, August 26, 2022. (Second District Court) rbrowman@abqjournal.com Fri Aug 26 11:27:43 -0600 2022 1661534862 FILENAME: 1946219.jpg

Elise Kaplan Elise Kaplan Elise Kaplan Albuquerque Journal staff writer
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Muhammad Atif Syed listens from MDC during his arraignment Friday when his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. (Second District Court)

Muhammad Atif Syed pleaded not guilty Friday to three counts of first-degree murder in a series of shooting deaths in July and August that rocked Albuquerque’s Muslim community.

Syed, 51, entered the not guilty plea through his attorney during a brief hearing before 2nd Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos.

Syed appeared in the remote hearing from the Metropolitan Detention Center where a judge last week ordered him to remain held while he awaits trial.

Syed initially was arrested Aug. 9 on two open counts of murder in the shooting deaths of Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1.

A grand jury indicted Syed on Aug. 19 on three counts of first-degree murder, adding the Aug. 5 shooting death of Naeem Hussein, 25, to those of the other two killings.

The indictment also charges Syed with four counts of tampering with evidence for allegedly attempting to conceal a firearm, a cell phone, a Volkswagen Jetta, and the car’s hubcaps to avoid arrest and prosecution for the three killings.

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