>> ASIAONE / NEWS / ASIAONE NEWS / WORLD / STORY
Lebanese man gets 25 years prison for weapons deal
Thu, Jul 02, 2009
Reuters

NEW YORK, USA - A Lebanese man convicted of agreeing to sell millions of dollars of weapons to leftist guerrillas in Colombia was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday.

Tareq Mousa al Ghazi, 62, was accused of taking part in the weapons deal with Monzer al-Kassar, a Syrian who was convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced in February. The deal turned out to be a U.S.-backed sting operation that stretched from Lebanon to Spain and Romania.

Ghazi was found guilty in federal court in March of three of four charges he faced, including conspiring to kill U.S. officers and conspiring to acquire anti-aircraft missiles.

During the trial, prosecutors said Ghazi took part in the deal thinking the weapons would go to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and believed they would be used to kill Americans seeking to disrupt the cocaine trade.

He was arrested in mid-2007 in Romania with a third man, Felipe Moreno Godoy. Kassar, who prosecutors called one of the world's most prolific arms dealers, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Moreno Godoy was sentenced to 25 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
STORY INDEX
 
  Lebanese man gets 25 years prison for weapons deal
   
 
  Author J.D. Salinger wins legal victory
   
 
  Paraguay reports first swine flu death: health ministry
   
 
  US Marines storm south in major Afghan offensive?
   
 
  Pet python kills Florida toddler
   
 
  New York police expand dirty bomb security?
   
 
  'Great train robber' Ronnie Biggs denied parole
   
 
  U.S. puts off decision on cutting aid to Honduras
   
 
  Air France CEO meets with families of crash victims
   
 
  Guns and booze don't mix, Tennessee lawsuit argues
   
We welcome contributions, comments and tips.
a1admin@sph.com.sg