U.S.: Arms dealer, others helped Hezbollah

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Thirteen men were charged Tuesday with participating in a fencing ring that shipped stolen goods to Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, U.S. officials said.

Among those charged in Philadelphia was international arms dealer Dani Nemr Tarraf, 39, with residences in Slovakia and Lebanon, whom officials said was lured to Philadelphia Saturday by federal agents for a supposed deal to send hand-held Stinger missiles and machine guns to Lebanese terrorists, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The details of the two-year undercover terrorism investigation included allegations a Detroit fencing operation with alleged links to the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah bought more than 20,000 stolen cellphones, hundreds of video game consoles and Nike shoes from U.S. agents, eventually ordering laptops and military gear to ship to Beirut, the newspaper said.

The Inquirer said Tarraf is charged with conspiracy to acquire missile system designed to destroy aircraft, transporting stolen property and conspiracy to possess machine guns.

Five other men -- including three with dual residencies in Slovakia and Lebanon, one from Lebanon and another from Centerville, Ga. -- were charged participating in the ring. Eight others, including five from Dearborn, Mich., were reportedly named in a separate indictment for selling stolen goods.