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The Justice Department introduced an indictment Thursday towards two Iranian brothers and a Pakistani nationwide linked to a U.S. army operation off the coast of Somalia in January that resulted within the deaths of two Navy SEALs.
Shahab and Yunus Mir’kazei — who federal prosecutors say work for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – and Muhammad Pahlawan are every charged with conspiring to supply and offering materials help to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program leading to dying and conspiring to commit violence towards maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction leading to dying.
Pahlawan is presently in custody and awaiting trial whereas the Iranians are at massive. If convicted on the federal prices, all three males face a most penalty of life in jail.
The Justice Department says Pahlawan “allegedly worked for the Mir’kazei brothers as the captain of a smuggling vessel known as a dhow, named the ‘Yunus,’ which is owned by Shahab.”
US NAVY SEAL FELL INTO ARABIAN SEA AND ANOTHER DIED TRYING TO SAVE HIM, OFFICIALS CONFIRM
This undated {photograph} reveals the vessel that was boarded on Jan. 11 this yr by U.S. Central Command Navy forces. Two Navy SEALs died within the operation that resulted within the discovery of what the Justice Department says is “believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.” (U.S. Central Command)
“On the night of Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, boarded the dhow off the coast of Somalia,” it continued. “Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction.”
“As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan. During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry,” the Justice Department added. “Preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, including to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components.
“The sort of weaponry discovered aboard the dhow is allegedly in keeping with the weaponry utilized by the Houthi insurgent forces in current assaults on service provider ships and U.S. army ships within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” the Justice Department also said.
Federal prosecutors say Pahlawan is facing additional charges of “offering materially false info to U.S. Coast Guard officers through the boarding of the dhow concerning the vessel’s captain and witness intimidation for threatening one of many crewmembers on the dhow.
4 CHARGED AFTER SEIZURE OF SUSPECTED IRANIAN-MADE WEAPONS IN VESSEL THAT LEAD TO DEATHS OF 2 NAVY SEALS
Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers, left, and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, who died throughout a nighttime boarding mission off the coast of Somalia. (U.S. Navy)
They added that Pahlawan “allegedly worked with Shahab to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, and Shahab paid Pahlawan in Iranian Rials from a bank account in Shahab’s name.
“Pahlawan allegedly organized to obtain funds from Shahab and Yunus in Iran and distribute the cash to his household and others,” according to the Justice Department.
The Navy in January identified the two SEALs who were declared dead as Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, days after they went missing.
“We prolong our condolences to Chris and Gage’s households, pals, and teammates throughout this extremely difficult time. They have been distinctive warriors, cherished teammates, and expensive pals to many throughout the Naval Special Warfare neighborhood,” Capt. Blake L. Chaney, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 said at the time.
The U.S. Central Command announced Thursday that “U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived within the U.S. Central Command space of accountability Aug. 8 as a part of U.S. power posture adjustments within the area and to deal with threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed teams.” (U.S. Central Command)
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The announcement of the indictment comes as U.S. Central Command released images Thursday of Air Force F-22 Raptors arriving in the Middle East” as a part of U.S. power posture adjustments within the area and to deal with threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed teams.”
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
