Justice Department indicts Iranian, Pakistani nationals linked to Navy SEAL deaths in Arabian Sea
The Justice Department announced an indictment Thursday against two Iranian brothers and a Pakistani national linked to a U.S. military operation off the coast of Somalia in January that resulted in the deaths of two Navy SEALs.
Shahab and Yunus Mir’kazei -- who federal prosecutors say work for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – and Muhammad Pahlawan are each charged with conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death.
Pahlawan is currently in custody and awaiting trial while the Iranians are at large. If convicted on the federal charges, all three men face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The Justice Department says Pahlawan "allegedly worked for the Mir’kazei brothers as the captain of a smuggling vessel known as a dhow, named the ‘Yunus,’ which is owned by Shahab."
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"On the night of Jan. 11, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, boarded the dhow off the coast of Somalia," it continued. "Two Navy SEALs lost their lives during the interdiction."
"As alleged, the U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan. During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team allegedly located and seized what is believed to be Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry," the Justice Department added. "Preliminary analysis of the advanced conventional weaponry indicates that it includes critical components for medium range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, including to include a warhead and propulsion and guidance components.
"The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is allegedly consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," the Justice Department also said.
Federal prosecutors say Pahlawan is facing additional charges of "providing materially false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the boarding of the dhow regarding the vessel’s captain and witness intimidation for threatening one of the crewmembers on the dhow.
They added that Pahlawan "allegedly worked with Shahab to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, and Shahab paid Pahlawan in Iranian Rials from a bank account in Shahab’s name.
"Pahlawan allegedly arranged to receive payments from Shahab and Yunus in Iran and distribute the money to his family and others," according to the Justice Department.
The Navy in January identified the two SEALs who were declared dead as Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, days after they went missing.
"We extend our condolences to Chris and Gage's families, friends, and teammates during this incredibly challenging time. They were exceptional warriors, cherished teammates, and dear friends to many within the Naval Special Warfare community," Capt. Blake L. Chaney, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1 said at the time.
The announcement of the indictment comes as U.S. Central Command released images Thursday of Air Force F-22 Raptors arriving in the Middle East" as part of U.S. force posture changes in the region and to address threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed groups."
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.