Two arrested for conspiring to export F-14 and F-4 aircraft parts to Iran
By Frontier India | June 26th, 2008 | Category: Military News - America | 2 comments
Two munition dealers Hassan Saied Keshari and Traian Bujduveanu were arrested on charges of conspiring to export military aircraft parts to Iran. Among the aircraft parts that Keshari and Bujduveanu are alleged to have obtained and illegally shipped to buyers in Iran are parts for the CH-53 military helicopter, the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, and the AH-1 attack helicopter. Keshari is also alleged to have requested quotes for other parts for other military aircraft, including F-4 Phantom aircraft.
All of these aircraft are known to be used primarily, if not exclusively, by the Iranian military. Moreover, all of the parts supplied by Keshari and Bujduveanu are manufactured in the United States, are designed exclusively for military use, and have been designated by the United States Department of State as “defense articles” on the United States Munitions List, thus requiring registration and licensing with the DDTC. Neither Keshari nor Bujduveanu are registered or had the required license to ship defense articles to Iran.
Keshari owns and operates Kesh Air International, a business located in Novato, California. Bujduveanu owns and operates Orion Aviation Corp., located in Plantation, Florida. The affidavit alleges that since August 2006, Keshari and Bujduveanu have procured U.S.-made military aircraft parts in the United States for buyers in Iran and have illegally shipped the parts to a company in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for shipment to buyers in Iran. Keshari allegedly received the orders for specific parts by e-mail from buyers in Iran. Keshari then requested quotes, usually by e-mail, from Bujduveanu and made arrangements with Bujduveanu for the sale and shipment of the parts to a company in Dubai. From Dubai, the parts were then shipped on to Iran.
Agents found boxes of military aircraft parts stored on Bujduvenau’s property, including hundreds of parts for the C-130, the F-5, and other military aircraft.
So far, over half the parts discovered can be used for commercial air liners. No evidence has been brought against Traian and to this day he still sits in jail while they “build up a case”. A case which should not take them 11 months to make.
My father still remains in jail, with no solid evidence presented to him. The only evidence they have are some emails sent between Traian and Keshari. In these emails, my father states that he does not wish to do business with this man and that he is not interested in what Keshari has to offer. The state has wrongly grouped my father with this man. They have assumed that since my father sold a few parts to this man in the past, then he is part of some make-believe network or illegal part exporters which is absolutely false. To this day, no solid evidence has been brought against him. Almost all my father’s motions have been denied, his trial doesn’t start until May (ALMOST A YEAR AFTER BEING ARRESTED), and he has not been allowed outside in over 7 months (all on false accusations). Where is this American democracy we speak of? Where is this image of fairness and justice that America claims to have?