[1] An expert in martial arts, Mr. Shah was arrested in May 2005 at the age of 42 in New York City, accused and eventually charged with providing aid for terrorist activity based on evidence from an FBI sting.
An indictment handed up by a federal grand jury Monday accused the men of conspiring to provide material support for terrorism, specifically for al-Qaeda.
Shah's case is represented as an example of the U.S. government's use of agent provocateurs who entrap or set up "innocent or unaware Muslims who had no interest in terrorism" targeting individuals for "preemptive prosecution."
Yemeni informant Mohamed Alanssi targeted Shah on December 1, 2001, months after 9-11, at Farhane’s Islamic bookstore in New York City.
Theodore Shelby, an ex-convict and former Black Panther using the name Saeed, "was sent by the government to approach Mr. Shah under the guise of seeking bass lessons.
In 1984, Shah toured across Europe with Betty Carter and worked with Ahmad Jamal, Abbey Lincoln, and Rahn Burton after his return.
He later played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra alongside Red Rodney, Sir Roland Hanna, Harold Vick, and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
7––perhaps one of the reasons Shah was later targeted by the FBI, accused of providing aid to al-Qaeda, "even though no actual terrorist contact ever took place.
Theodore Shelby (aka Saeed “Shariff” Torres) is the main subject of (T)ERROR, and he speaks about the Tarik Shah case and how he betrayed his friend and teacher.
The film’s emotional climax comes when Torres is browsing Facebook while he awaits a reply on his friend request to Akili [Khalifah Al-Akili, the current target].
(T)ERROR premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a Special Jury Prize for Break Out First Feature.
Performed with various artists and bands: Claudio Roditi, Phyllis Hyman, Red Rodney, Melvin Sparks, Tom Browne, Sir Roland Hanna, Jimmy Madison, Ralph Moore, Ellis Marsalis Jr., Barry Harris, Richard Williams, Ahmad Jamal, Benny Green, Walter Bishop Jr., Willis Gatortail Jackson, Roland Prince, Bobby Watson, Steve Turre, Harold Vick, Lenny White, Rahn Burton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gregory Porter, Pharoah Sanders, Betty Carter, Ahmad Jamal, Abbey Lincoln, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Vanessa Rubin, World Saxophone Quartet, Hamiet Bluiett, Gloria Lynne, Dakota Staton, Irene Reid, June April, Rodney Jones, Bobby Forrester, Fontella Bass, George Braith, Bill Henderson, Leon Thomas, Nat Dixon.