MSNBC News
NBC: 2 others arrested in bid to import shoulder-fired missiles
Quote:
Aug. 12 — The FBI has arrested a British man as part of an international sting operation involving an alleged plot to smuggle shoulder-fired missiles into the United States, authorities said Tuesday. NBC News has learned that two others have also been arrested in connection with the alleged scheme.
THE MAN, a British citizen of Indian origin was arrested at an apartment building in Newark, N.J., NBC News’ Pete Williams reported. The man’s name and the charges were not immediately available. Williams reported that two men — one from Afghanistan — were arrested later Tuesday at an office building in New York City’s diamond district.
The arrests were part of a broader investigation by the FBI and British and Russian authorities, said a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
All three are charged with smuggling in a Russian-made shoulder-fired missile. The buyers they dealt with claimed to be terrorists. They were actually undercover federal officials.
U.S. officials say the missile that the smuggling ring managed to sneak into the United States from Russia was actually a dud that was secretly placed into arms-dealing channels by Russian authorities, who were in on the sting.
It was not immediately clear whether the plot was connected to al-Qaida or some other terrorist network. Justice Department officials had no immediate comment on the case.
Officials told NBC News Tuesday night that the arms ring members were not terrorists; they were just out to make money. But investigators said the smuggling suspects clearly knew the buyers expressed intent to use the missile for a terrorist attack.
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Looks to me like Ashcroft is doing a good job.