Free Republic

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A suspected arms dealer was arraigned Wednesday on federal charges that he allegedly tried to sell shoulder-fired missiles to an undercover agent posing as a Muslim terrorist bent on shooting down an airliner. Hemet Lakhani, 68, a Briton described as a "significant international arms dealer," was ordered held without bail pending a custody hearing Monday. He is charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to terrorists and acting as an arms broker without a license. His lawyer refused to comment on the case after the hearing. Another defendant, Moinuddeen Ahmed Hameed, was ordered held...

NEWARK, New Jersey - An American Jew was among three suspects nabbed for allegedly attempting to smuggle a missile to terror groups operating inside the United States in order to down commercial aircraft. But the smuggling attempt was in fact a sting operation orchestrated over the past 18 months by U.S., Russian and British authorities. Terrorism-related charges were leveled on Wednesday against a British arms dealer who praised Osama bin Laden and thought he was smuggling into the United States missiles, federal prosecutors announced. Two other suspected accomplices to the plot, inlcuding Yehuda Abraham, who is Jewish, face conspiracy charges,...

(AP) — Some highlights from an FBI affidavit filed in federal court in New Jersey, outlining the alleged plot to smuggle a shoulder-launched missile into the United States: _Investigation began in December 2001, when a "cooperating witness" or informant under federal law enforcement control began talking with the alleged arms dealer, Hemant Lakhani, about obtaining anti-aircraft guns and missiles. The witness told Lakhani he was representing a Somali group that wanted to buy one missile initially "with a purchase of a greater number of missiles to follow." _Between Dec. 2001 and Aug. 13, 2003, more than 150 conversations between Lakhani...