Mike Rafic Ghanem, who owns an worldwide shipping company with offices within the Washington and surrounding suburbs, was arrested Saturday after an FBI sting.
Federal government bodies have arrested a Virginia businessman for allegedly attempting to ship a large number of weapons and-tech products to Lebanon, where terrorist groups for example Hezbollah operate along with a civil war in neighboring Syria has sparked further violence.
Mike Rafic Ghanem, who owns an worldwide shipping company with offices within the Washington and surrounding suburbs, was arrested Saturday after an FBI sting.
The intended person receiving the weapons isn't obvious, but at some point Ghanem stated he was lately requested to acquire two guns to have an un named person in the Lebanese government, based on court papers filed within the situation.
In the last couple of several weeks, Ghanem along with a former worker of his company, Washington Moving firm Worldwide, devised a plan to transmit weapons to Lebanon by hiding them inside automobile parts shipped by the organization, court papers allege.
The previous worker, though, was being employed as an undercover source for that FBI.
Last Saturday, the origin acquired Ghanem from his Springfield, Veterans administration., home and drove to Washington Moving firm International's offices in Maryland, where Ghanem assisted stuff 10 handguns, 10 semi-automatic rifles and 18 "optic products" into doorways along with other areas of restored automobiles, an FBI agent alleged in charging documents.
The vehicle parts were then loaded right into a shipping container, however the weapons hidden inside were fake, based on the charging documents. Ghanem was subsequently arrested.
After he was handcuffed, Ghanem allegedly accepted to FBI agents that his intended shipment violated U.S. law, which forbids the export of these weapons to Lebanon along with other designated nations. Worldwide law also restrictions such deliveries.
Throughout a privately recorded meeting at Ghanem's home in October, Ghanem noted to his former worker he lately "have been requested to acquire two 'pieces' [guns] for any Lebanese official," but he did not follow-through "while he might have needed to place the weapons in the title, which was too harmful," based on the charging documents.
An FBI spokesperson rejected to comment. Efforts to achieve someone in the Lebanese Embassy in Washington on Tuesday were not successful.
Saturday's arrest was apparently not the very first time the FBI visited Ghanem. FBI agents asked him 2 yrs ago after two guns put together hidden inside a vehicle shipped by his company, court papers get him to telling the FBI source.
Washington Moving firm Worldwide has offices in District Levels, Md. Doha, Qatar and Beirut. Ghanem, 43, began the organization "on your own,Inch based on an account of Ghanem published online.
"We're now recognized among the leading logistics firms within the U . s . States," the business's website states, promising, "In the easiest household proceed to the biggest of worldwide business relocations, you'll appreciate our remarkable professionalism, expertise, our friendly and useful service."
By 2 yrs ago, Ghanem would be a follower of Druze - a comparatively small, ancient religion practiced mostly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel - and that he was an energetic member within the faith's community. He offered around the board of the Washington-area Druze community organization. He's married with three children, based on a web-based profile.
Ghanem continues to be billed with one count of "attempted export of defense articles" in breach from the Arms Export Control Act. If charged, he faces 5 years imprisonment along with a fine of $50,000.
He earned his initial appearance Monday before a federal judge in Greenbelt, Md. Public record information available Tuesday didn't indicate whether Ghanem had joined a plea.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
An agent in the federal public defender's office, that is representing Ghanem, rejected to discuss the situation.
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