Iranian Charged in F-14 Export Attempt
September 24, 2003
The Associated Press
SF Chronicle
An Iranian man has been charged with attempting to export components for an F-14 fighter jet to his country, immigration officials said Wednesday.
Serzhik Avasappian, 40, was arrested on charges he attempted to ship the parts to Iran without obtaining an export license from the U.S. State Department.
Avasappian said he was a Tehran-based broker attempting to purchase the plane parts for the Iranian government, according to immigration officials.
Agents began negotiating with Avasappian in January 2002 over the export of the components, according to the criminal complaint. It alleges there was discussion of illegally exporting F-14 fighter jet parts, C-130A aircraft electrical and avionic upgrades, as well as the purchase and shipment of helicopters to Iran.
"While these components may appear relatively innocuous to the untrained eye, they are tightly controlled for good reason," Jesus Torres, interim special agent in charge, said in a written statement. "In the wrong hands, they pose a potential threat to Americans at home and abroad."
Although warned by agents that the controlled items could not be legally exported to Iran, Avasappian said they could be shipped to Italy and then moved to Iran, according to the criminal complaint.
Avasappian agreed to meet with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to inspect the F-14 components, according to the complaint.
Avasappian arrived in Miami on a flight from London on Sept. 16. He was arrested Friday after a meeting with the undercover agents in which he agreed to contact Tehran to request the transfer of $15,000 to a bank, the complaint said.
Avasappian was being held at a federal detention center in Miami Wednesday. Attempts to determine if he had an attorney were unsuccessful late Wednesday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/09/24/national2357EDT0898.DTL