https://www.opindia.com/2020/01/us-...front-canada-illegal-export-nuclear-pakistan/
US court charges five Pakistani men illegally exporting nuclear material for Pakistan’s nuclear program
The indictment identified a total of 38 illegal nuclear-related exports from 29 US companies to Pakistan between September 2014 and October 2019, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
JANUARY 17, 2020
Representational image, Pakistan's Nuclear weapons, image via Modern Diplomacy
Five businessmen from Pakistan have been indicted in the United States for operating an international network of front companies to export US origin products to the terrorist state of Pakistan for use in that country’s nuclear program.
According to reports, the five Pakistani men transported the goods to Pakistan’s Advanced Engineering Research Organization and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission without export licenses, according to the indictment of a federal court in New Hampshire.
The indictment identified a total of 38 illegal nuclear-related exports from 29 US companies to Pakistan between September 2014 and October 2019, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
The five indicted men are identified as 41-year-old Muhammad Kamran Wali living in Pakistan, 48-year-old Muhammad Ahsan Wali and 82-year-old Haji Wali Muhammad Sheikh, a father-son duo from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Ashraf Khan Muhammad of Hong Kong and Ahmed Waheed of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom have also been indicted.
However, none of them has been arrested and arrest warrants are pending.
Sidhant Sibal@sidhant
Just in: US indicts 5 people for aiding Pakistan's nuclear programme. Big news by my colleague @akashrai_3575.
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2:27 PM - Jan 17, 2020 · New Delhi, India
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Reportedly, the defendants attempted to hide the destinations of the exports in Pakistan by using their network of front companies as importers and end-users.
The accused Pakistani men, who lived in Pakistan, Canada, Hong Kong and England, were charged in federal court in New Hampshire, where three of the US companies are based, with conspiracy to violate US export control laws. None of the US companies were found to be complicit in unlawful exports.
The two Pakistani entities, AERO and PAEC are on the US Commerce Department’s list of companies required to hold export licenses because their activities are deemed contrary to US national security or foreign policy interests.
The Pakistan Aerospace Council (PAEC) is an organisation for enterprises active in the aerospace, defence and high tech electronics market. PAEC was added to the list in 1998 after Pakistan carried out a series of underground nuclear tests in response to Indian nuclear tests.
Advanced Engineering Research Organisation (AERO) was included in 2014 after the US found that it had used intermediaries and front companies to acquire goods for Pakistan’s cruise missile and strategic unmanned aerial vehicle programs, the Justice Department said.
“The defendants smuggled US-origin goods to entities that have been designated for years as threats to US national security for their ties to Pakistan’s weapons programs,” John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement.
“This indictment puts the world on notice not to do business with these defendants and demonstrates our commitment to holding them accountable,” Demers said.
“It also stands as an example of the kind of deceptive behaviour US businesses need to watch out for in designing appropriate export control and sanctions compliance programs,” he added in his statement.
The indictment stemmed from counter nuclear proliferation efforts by investigative agencies within the departments of Justice, Commerce, Homeland Security and Defense. Jason Molina, acting special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations, said the agency’s counterproliferation group proactively conducts investigations into violations of US export-import licensing because of the threat they can pose to US national security.
The accused persons allegedly received over $140,000 in wire transfers from a Pakistani bank account controlled by AERO and held in the name of the alleged front company Business World, in a Rawalpindi branch. Those funds were then allegedly used to pay American companies to export the goods from an account in Canada held in the name of the same front company.
Terrorist state Pakistan !!!!https://www.opindia.com/2020/01/us-...front-canada-illegal-export-nuclear-pakistan/
US court charges five Pakistani men illegally exporting nuclear material for Pakistan’s nuclear program
The indictment identified a total of 38 illegal nuclear-related exports from 29 US companies to Pakistan between September 2014 and October 2019, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
JANUARY 17, 2020
Representational image, Pakistan's Nuclear weapons, image via Modern Diplomacy
Five businessmen from Pakistan have been indicted in the United States for operating an international network of front companies to export US origin products to the terrorist state of Pakistan for use in that country’s nuclear program.
According to reports, the five Pakistani men transported the goods to Pakistan’s Advanced Engineering Research Organization and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission without export licenses, according to the indictment of a federal court in New Hampshire.
The indictment identified a total of 38 illegal nuclear-related exports from 29 US companies to Pakistan between September 2014 and October 2019, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
The five indicted men are identified as 41-year-old Muhammad Kamran Wali living in Pakistan, 48-year-old Muhammad Ahsan Wali and 82-year-old Haji Wali Muhammad Sheikh, a father-son duo from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Ashraf Khan Muhammad of Hong Kong and Ahmed Waheed of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom have also been indicted.
However, none of them has been arrested and arrest warrants are pending.
Sidhant Sibal@sidhant
Just in: US indicts 5 people for aiding Pakistan's nuclear programme. Big news by my colleague @akashrai_3575.
101
2:27 PM - Jan 17, 2020 · New Delhi, India
Twitter Ads info and privacy
68 people are talking about this
Reportedly, the defendants attempted to hide the destinations of the exports in Pakistan by using their network of front companies as importers and end-users.
The accused Pakistani men, who lived in Pakistan, Canada, Hong Kong and England, were charged in federal court in New Hampshire, where three of the US companies are based, with conspiracy to violate US export control laws. None of the US companies were found to be complicit in unlawful exports.
The two Pakistani entities, AERO and PAEC are on the US Commerce Department’s list of companies required to hold export licenses because their activities are deemed contrary to US national security or foreign policy interests.
The Pakistan Aerospace Council (PAEC) is an organisation for enterprises active in the aerospace, defence and high tech electronics market. PAEC was added to the list in 1998 after Pakistan carried out a series of underground nuclear tests in response to Indian nuclear tests.
Advanced Engineering Research Organisation (AERO) was included in 2014 after the US found that it had used intermediaries and front companies to acquire goods for Pakistan’s cruise missile and strategic unmanned aerial vehicle programs, the Justice Department said.
“The defendants smuggled US-origin goods to entities that have been designated for years as threats to US national security for their ties to Pakistan’s weapons programs,” John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement.
“This indictment puts the world on notice not to do business with these defendants and demonstrates our commitment to holding them accountable,” Demers said.
“It also stands as an example of the kind of deceptive behaviour US businesses need to watch out for in designing appropriate export control and sanctions compliance programs,” he added in his statement.
The indictment stemmed from counter nuclear proliferation efforts by investigative agencies within the departments of Justice, Commerce, Homeland Security and Defense. Jason Molina, acting special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations, said the agency’s counterproliferation group proactively conducts investigations into violations of US export-import licensing because of the threat they can pose to US national security.
The accused persons allegedly received over $140,000 in wire transfers from a Pakistani bank account controlled by AERO and held in the name of the alleged front company Business World, in a Rawalpindi branch. Those funds were then allegedly used to pay American companies to export the goods from an account in Canada held in the name of the same front company.
People of Pakistan needs to stop thinking that any country is a friendly country.
US Indicts 5 for Illegal Exports to Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Program
By Masood Farivar
January 15, 2020 03:41 PM
FILE - A general view of the Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, Feb 1, 2018.
WASHINGTON - Five Pakistani businessmen have been indicted in the United States for operating an international network of front companies to export U.S.-origin goods to Pakistan for use in that country’s nuclear weapons program, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.
The defendants bought and exported U.S.-origin items for Pakistan’s Advanced Engineering Research Organization and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission without export licenses, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday.
In all, the indictment identified 38 illegal nuclear-related exports from the U.S. to Pakistan involving 29 different companies around the United States between September 2014 and October 2019. None of the U.S. companies was found complicit in the unlawful exports.
The defendants, all associates of a Rawalpindi, Pakistan-based front company called “Business World,” were charged in federal court in New Hampshire with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Export Control Reform Act.
They were identified as Muhammad Kamran Wali, 41, of Pakistan; Muhammad Ahsan Wali, 48, and Haji Wali Muhammad Sheikh, 82, both of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Ashraf Khan Muhammad of Hong Kong; and Ahmed Waheed, 52, of Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom. None of them has been arrested although arrests warrants are pending.
The two Pakistani entities — AERO and PAEC — are on the U.S. Commerce Department’s list of companies required to hold export licenses because their activities are deemed contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.
PAEC was added to the list in 1998 after Pakistan carried out a series of underground nuclear tests. AERO was included in 2014 after the U.S. found that it had used intermediaries and front companies to acquire goods for Pakistan’s cruise missile and strategic UAV programs, the Justice Department said.
“This indictment puts the world on notice not to do business with these defendants and demonstrates our commitment to holding them accountable,” said John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement.
“It also stands as an example of the kind of deceptive behavior U.S. businesses need to watch out for in designing appropriate export control and sanctions compliance programs.”
https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-indicts-5-illegal-exports-pakistans-nuclear-weapons-program
