Texas Man Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Weapons to the Middle East

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Eyad Farah (41, Barrington, Texas) with conspiring to export firearms without a license, exporting firearms without a license, and smuggling firearms from the United States in violation of federal export control and firearms laws. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the export charge, and up to 20 years in federal prison for the smuggling charge. The indictment was returned by the grand jury on September 4, 2014.

According to the indictment, Farah is part of a network of individuals involved in smuggling firearms from the United States to the Middle East. The indictment alleges that the firearms were concealed in vehicles that had been purchased at used car auctions in Central Florida. The vehicles were then scheduled for export to Jordan.

According to court documents, Farah was arrested at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany on June 2, 2015. He made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Julie S. Sneed earlier today.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless,  and until, proven guilty.

Farah’s co-conspirator, Mahmoud Abdel-Ghani Mohammad Assaf, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is currently awaiting sentencing. Yasser Ahmad Obeid, a defendant in a related case, has also pleaded guilty. In December 2014, he was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.

"This arrest represents a significant milestone in combating weapons smuggling by transnational criminal organizations," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "It is through collaborative efforts with our domestic and international law enforcement partners that the United States will stem the tide of this continuing threat."

"ATF's mission is the gun,” said Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF-Tampa. “Whether it's domestic/international trafficking, or the gun is being used in violent crime, I will commit our resources to curb and stop illegal diversion of firearms or their use in violent gun crimes.”

John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS-Southeast Field Office, stated, "DCIS effectively collaborates with our partner agencies to battle against the illegal export of sensitive weapons and systems.  This arrest highlights our continuing efforts."

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Josephine W. Thomas and Adam M. Saltzman.

Mullen Launches Middle East Trip in Saudi Arabia

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 20, 2011 – Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived here today for the first leg of a sweep through the Middle East to reassure friends of the U.S. commitment to regional stability, acknowledging he’s been “stunned” by the pace of the upheaval here.

“The speed with which this has happened has really taken me aback,” Mullen said of unrest that has moved through the region, domino-like, in recent weeks. “And I think this speed is going to continue.”

Mullen left Washington yesterday to confer with international and U.S. officials during stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti and Kuwait. Although the trip has been in the planning stages for some time, he said, its nature has changed dramatically based on the current tumult.

Talks are expected to address uprisings that have toppled the presidents of both Tunisia and Egypt and continue to ripple through the region. As during his trip last week to Israel and Jordan, Mullen said, he plans to “reassure our friends and just listen to what’s on their minds” about the situation and to get their views firsthand, particularly concerning Egypt.

Mullen said he comes to the region bringing no message to any particular group, but rather to reiterate the U.S. interest in seeing differences resolved peacefully. “We would certainly like to see what happens happen in a nonviolent way,” he told reporters traveling with him.

Emphasizing the importance of the Gulf region, the chairman said its stability is in everyone’s best interest.

Mullen has office calls scheduled here with Prince Mohammed bin Niyif, Saudi Arabia’s assistant interior minister for security affairs; Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, commander of the Saudi Arabian national guard; Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, assistant defense and aviation minister for military affairs; and Lt. Gen. Qubail, deputy chief of the general staff.

He also will meet with U.S. Ambassador James Smith.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have had strong military-to-military relations since World War II. U.S. advisors continue to help in training the Saudi military and national guard. The U.S. military training mission to Saudi Arabia and a U.S. program managers’ office for the Saudi Arabian national guard work to help in increasing Saudi military capabilities.

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for U.S. defense goods.

The trip is expected to wrap up next weekend in Kuwait City, where a month-long commemoration is observing the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation and the 20th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. Coalition forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation forces on Feb. 26, 1991, at the end of Operation Desert Storm. Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait Aug. 2, 1990.

The chairman’s last extended visit to the region was in February 2010, when he made stops in Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

Jordanian National Security and the Future of Middle East Stability

The United States and Jordan have maintained a valuable mutually-supportive relationship for decades as a result of shared interests in a moderate, prosperous, and stable Middle East. In this monograph, the author highlights Jordan’s ongoing value as a U.S. ally and considers ways that the U.S.-Jordanian alliance might be used to contain and minimize problems of concern to both countries. Although Jordan is not a large country, it is an important geographical crossroads within the Middle East and has been deeply involved in many of the most important events in the region’s modern history.

In recent years, the importance of the U.S.-Jordanian relationship has increased, and Jordan has emerged as a vital U.S. ally in the efforts to stabilize Iraq and also resist violent extremism and terrorism throughout the region. Amman’s traditional role in helping to train friendly Arab military, police, and intelligence forces to its own high standards is a particularly helpful way in which Jordan can enhance efforts to achieve regional security. The United States needs to support efforts to continue and expand this role. Additionally, Jordan maintains a key interest in Palestinian/Israeli issues and has made ongoing efforts to play a constructive role in this setting. Helping Jordan survive, prosper, and modernize correspondingly has become an urgent priority for the United States in its quest for a secure Middle East.

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