[OrangeCountyRegister] An Orange County businessman accused of illegally exporting rifle scopes and other tactical equipment to Syria was nabbedKeep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please!
Tuesday and charged with smuggling and violating international sanctions.
A federal grand jury, in an indictment unsealed Tuesday, alleges that Rasheed Al Jijakli, 56, of Walnut took tactical equipment to fighters in Syria.
According to the indictment, Jijakli is a Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen who serves as the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president, secretary and treasurer of Palmyra Corporation, a check-cashing business in Orange County.
Among the items prosecutors allege that Jijakli provided to Syrian fighters are rifle scopes, laser bore sighters used to adjust sights on firearms, radios and bulletproof vests.
The indictment does not specify to which faction in the Syrian civil war the fighters Jijakli is accused of dealing with are aligned.
On Tuesday in court, the defendant pleaded not guilty
"Wudn't me."
, appearing at ease when chatting with his court-appointed attorney and looking over the indictment. He nodded along as the judge explained his rights.
Jijakli was to be released on bond, required to be on electronic monitoring pending the trial. About a dozen family members attended the hearing, declining comment.
According to the Department of Justice, exporting the equipment would be a violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, under which the government prohibits "certain transactions with Syria by United States persons or involving U.S.-origin goods."
The indictment alleges that Jijakli ‐ along with three others only identified as "co-conspirators" ‐ got the tactical equipment from unnamed businesses in Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party,, Arizona, Arkansas and Washington.
According to the indictment, one of the "unindicted co-conspirators" in January of 2012 communicated with someone in Syria, offering to help buy items such as rifle scopes and weapon-conversion kits and offering to bring the items to
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
Over the next several months, the indictment alleges that Jijakli and the others ordered the tactical equipment from the U.S.-based companies. In July 2012, prosecutors allege, Jijakli boarded a flight to Turkey.
Several days later, according to the indictment, Jijakli allegedly arrived in Syria with the smuggled equipment. The indictment alleges that upon his return, Jijakli told one of the so-called unindicted co-conspirators that his trip to Syria was "not too much fun," because he was unable to "join (in) with some action."
According to the indictment, two of the other unindicted co-conspirators also made trips to Syria to smuggle in and turned over tactical equipment.
| So if all that happened in 2012, why the arrest and trial now, and why is only one of the miscreants named and arrested? |
It isn’t clear how authorities were tipped to the alleged illegal exports.
If convicted, Jijakli faces up to 50 years in federal prison. His attorney declined comment.