Feds: 4 men charged in 2nd Hezbollah weapons ring
Three Lebanese nationals and one American resident were charged today with attempting to obtain 1,200 M-4 military assault weapons for Hezbollah, the second set of such charges in as many days generated in Philadelphia.
Three Lebanese nationals and one American resident were charged today with attempting to obtain 1,200 M-4 military assault weapons for Hezbollah, the second set of such charges in as many days generated in Philadelphia.
U.S. Attorney Michael L. Levy declined to say if the government informer who penetrated the alleged smuggling ring was the same person cited in yesterday's allegations that a man connected to Hezbollah tried to obtain Stinger anti-aircraft missiles for Hezbollah, as well as M4s.
But the individuals charged are not the same.
"We are dealing with two different groups trying to buy M4s," he said.
Three of the four men charged today are still in Lebanon. A fourth was identified as Moussa Ali Hamdan of Brooklyn, N.Y.
It could not be immediately discovered if Hamdan was in custody.
The other six men charged today allegedly participated in the purchase and transportation of stolen cell phones, laptops, computer games and automobiles. They are from Brooklyn, Staten Island, Michigan, and Plainsboro, N.J., and do not face charges that they acted to support Hezbollah.
Contact staff writer Nathan Gorenstein at 215-854-2797 or ngorenstein@phillynews.com.