Crime

N.Y. Prosecutors Charge 7 Drug & Weapons Dealers Aiding Taliban

NEW YORK (AP) — Seven men, including two American citizens, were charged Monday with selling drugs and weapons in an effort to help the Taliban fight U.S. troops overseas.

Posing as representatives of the Taliban, cooperating witnesses for the Drug Enforcement Administration approached the men in Ghana last June, asking to set up a drug relationship, prosecutors said. First, the cooperators asked if they could buy large amounts of cocaine, according to court documents. Then, they asked if the men could set up safe places in West Africa to store heroin on its way from Afghanistan to the United States, Canada and Europe.

Terrorism charges were filed against Maroun Saade, Walid Nasir, Francis Sourou Ahissou, Corneille Dato, Martin Raouf Bouraima, Oded Orbach and Alwar Pouryan.

Prosecutors said the two U.S. citizens, Orbach and Pouryan, were arrested in Romania last week and are being held there while they await extradition to the United States. The others were arrested last week in Liberia, where they are in U.S. custody. All are expected to be prosecuted in New York.

The supposed Taliban representatives told the men that the drugs would be sold to help finance Taliban operations against the United States, court documents said.

“Saade responded that it would please him to support the Taliban’s cause,” prosecutors wrote in the indictment.

As the drug relationship blossomed, the DEA also began negotiating to buy anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons, prosecutors said. Those inquiries led the DEA to Orbach and Pouryan, who discussed selling anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers and other weapons to the Taliban.

An e-mail seized by prosecutors revealed a price list ranging from $120 or so for an M16 rifle to $87,000 and up for a Javelin anti-take missile. Prosecutors said they believe the men were working with a co-conspirator in Lebanon. The co-conspirator was not named.

“Today, we eliminated an entrenched global criminal network, preventing it from moving ton quantities of cocaine, laundering millions in drug money, and trading arms to the Taliban to undermine the rule of law and kill Americans,” DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart said.

Comments (49)

  • bankerpapaw
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:39pm

    When I saw that these terrorist were arrested in New York, I thought they probably had arrested
    7 American Soldiers because they were wearing their uniforms.

    Report Post »  
  • cottonbking
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 10:11am

    It is a pity that these people didn’t spent their time investigating the crooks responsible for the Wall Street mortgage bond corruption. In fact it they did they probably would have stopped the foreign drug dealers from laundering their money!

    Report Post »  
  • tvr54
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 9:00am

    I hope they get the Max sentence, they betrayed the country, and there fellow man.

    Report Post » tvr54  
  • Scorchem
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:31am

    Guantanamo time!!

    Report Post » Toastery  
  • suzpenn
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 7:34am

    Good article but why nothing on the blaze this a.m. regarding Iran?

    Report Post » suzpenn  
  • Tickdog
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 7:16am

    charge them? why not kill them.. i dont want to pay for their stupid court costs and prison life.. jeeze

    Report Post » Tickdog  
  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 4:30am

    Because everyone keeps to themselves in my area, quiet ndighborhood, we were very surprised of a “bust” ….wherein 15 people were staying in a small house. Because of all the people going in and out…..all day and night….the neighbors reported suspicious activity to law enforcement.

    On a routine check, the police noticed one person who had warrants in three different counties……and found other fugitives hiding out in the same house.

    Every single person was either a convicted felon, two unregistered sex offenders, or had warrants for their arrests… wanted for murder, armed robbery, carjacking, etc………w an ILLEGAL ALIEN as a known drug dealer as the landlord…….waiting trial for drug possession in another city.

    Unbelievable……

    Report Post »  
  • Fina Biscotti
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 4:13am

    Kick all illegals out.. …could get quite a few people thrown out…….including radical muslims……since radicalized Muslims live in the shadows…..until they strike.

    But I agree, notice what is in yr community, so that any group connected to, or as a front for The Muslim Brotherhood, can be identified to law enforcement when necessary.

    Report Post »  
  • KICKILLEGALSOUT
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:51am

    Mosques, Islamic organizations, and Islamic student groups are like Trojan Horses in the US!

    This is a call to all Americans who value their Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness! Islam is a huge force that is moving into our communities and won‘t stop until everything in it’s path is destroyed! Start banding together with those in your community, find out where all the mosque are in your city, find out where all the Muslim groups are at like Muslim American Society local chapters and CAIR organizations etc. Contact them and Demand that they leave! Let them know that they are not welcome anymore in your community! Let them know that you know their agenda and you will not let up from stopping them! Contact your Mayor and Local city council! Contact your congressmen and Senators! Demand that Islam be banned! If you can, show them the evidence that they have ties to extremist groups, like the Muslim American Societies do with the Muslim Brotherhood! Do the research online and start getting the word out! Let our politicians know that they are responsible for your safety and you will hold them accountable! Let the Muslims know that you are spreading the word in the community and that you won’t let them rest!

    Report Post » KICKILLEGALSOUT  
    • WAR PIGS CRAWLING
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 3:30am

      @Kick…”Demand that Islam be banned!”……you need to STOP and seriously assess your post….I hope you are being facetious…

      Report Post » WAR PIGS CRAWLING  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:42am

      WAR PIGS CRAWLING
      @Kick…”Demand that Islam be banned!”……you need to STOP and seriously assess your post….I hope you are being facetious…

      War..You may live to agree with his point! Their religion is not compatable with Western culture!
      Our ‘Rebublic’ (not Democracy) is going to be taken down from the inside.
      The plan is to use our laws of free speach, peaceful assembly , and our religious freedom to do it. Along with a complicit media, of course.
      Obviously, the scenario plays out like this…You make claims (speach) against the US, you then protest(free assembly), and, if your group is of a specific religion, (say, Muslim), and you are openly critisized, you claim religious persecution, silencing all objections.
      Any objective person knows full-well that anti-American rhetoric is spewed in Mosques in America. The ground-zero Mosque is a perfect example of the arrogance of the anti-American Islamists. They have a plan, and that plan is to use the very laws we built our country on to infiltrate their ideology into our schools, government, etc.
      At some point, America will erupt into anger. Progressives will cry out‘ bigots’, ‘racists’, if some Muslim is attacked. The media will respond with stories asking ‘why is there hatred against Muslims’.
      We will become more divided. The Muslims will laugh at us while we take ourselves down. You are fooling yourself if you don‘t think that at some point ’Kick’ will not be proven correct.

      Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:48am

      Ok, Ok.I spelled speech…speach. Go figure

      Report Post »  
    • MetalPatriot
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 7:51pm

      My gut tells me “Decendant” & “Warpig” are right.

      At least, that’s how I feel about illegals (of all races…because Southern Cal is home to every sort of criminal & nut on the planet) and the Islamic religion.

      BTW: My Egyptian born and naturalized primary care physician gave me a book 10 years ago called, “The Islamization of America”. I highly recommend it. Also, a dear family friend, Colonel Bob Hammerquist, spent several days with me discussing how this is the classic battle of good vs evil, Islam vs Christianity. This seriously bothers me, but it sure appears to be true.

      Anyway, back to point. My problem is that the Constitution doesn’t specify freedom for “Christian only” OR “any religion”. David Barton‘s books steer you towards the Framer’s own writings & quotes that DO implicate only freedom of different facets of the Christian faith.

      We’re (my family) armed so we can defend against terror or tyranny, but I pray we can go by the rule of law & it never comes to violence. Besides, the enemies of the United States (Comms/Marxists/Extremists/Terrorists/etc) all want us to go beserk so their varied evil agendas can come to fruition.

      I look forward to intelligent responses, not the, “what a ******” type… :) even if i am one, please don’t tell me about it. LOL!

      Report Post » MetalPatriot  
  • ezeewhiz
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:26am

    Does Holden know about this? Duuhhhh!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • ezeewhiz
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:12am

    Umm! Why do stories like this never gets play in prime time??????

    Report Post »  
  • Enema of the State
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:04am

    If a person or prisoner is questioned about being a terrorist when caught red handed & they are tied-down to a board and given multi-enema’s against their will, is this considered REVERSE WATERBOARDING (or S&M or just COLONIC’S) by the UNITED NATIONS ??????

    Report Post » Enema of the State  
    • WISEPENNY
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:32am

      OMG that’s totally funny. 5 Stars!

      Report Post »  
    • alshere
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 2:13am

      In some cases that would be a happy experience and the person would have to pay the water enemaer.

      Report Post »  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 5:28am

      I wish they would hang these thieving,lying devils and save the money they would spend on trials. That is unless Enema of the State can do the reverse waterboarding or the colonic etc. I bet we could all come up with some things to do to them to pass the time.They may then want to go to jail and not collect $200. for passing go.

      Report Post »  
  • scout n ambush
    Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:00am

    Why bother they just turned the guy loose who trained the London bombers time served .His name was Baba or something like that.They love to turn them loose look at the recent report about all the convicted hardcore illegals they turned loose.

    Report Post » scout n ambush  
  • dcwu
    Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:55pm

    If there were no drug laws there would be no huge profits to fund terrorists. Drug laws are prohibition. They don’t work. They should be repealed. Do that and all the drug enforcement costs go away. And the drug raids gone wrong go away. And the prison populations drop by half or better. And drug cartels go away. And drug dealing goes away. And drug related murders and burglararies go away. And on and on. And we are free again. If some idiot wants to fry their brain, that is theirs to do. Frankly I haven’t come across anyone who wants to do that.

    Report Post »  
    • Robert-CA
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:15am

      I think you better move to San Francisco , you’ll be happy there .

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • booger71
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:08am

      Government agencies make too much money to repeal drug laws. More confiscated money for local and federal law enforcement, more DEA agents, more prisons, etc. fighting the “drug war” is a multibillion dollar business.

      Report Post » booger71  
    • alshere
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 2:10am

      Booger hit the nail right on the head.

      Report Post »  
    • WAR PIGS CRAWLING
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 2:28am

      I can guarantee that you have never been inside of a meth house…children living in squalor…parents sell the washer and dryer because the need money for their next high…burglarize every unlocked car, abandoned acreage, and elderly person they can find….in a perfect world “druggies” would have self-control….

      Report Post » WAR PIGS CRAWLING  
    • Moment of Clarity
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 3:07am

      I would hope that the 2 Americans will be tried for treason

      Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:17am

      DCWU says…..”And drug related murders and burglararies go away. And on and on.”
      I say…..So, let me get this straight, dcwU … If drugs are no longer illegal, people can go to the ‘drug store’, and get all the drugs they want with no repercussions? Is that right? Tell me, what happens if these ‘people’ who buy drugs can‘t ’keep’ a job, or don‘t ’want’ to work because they are so drugged out. Drugs are habit-forming, drugs are expensive, and the more you take, the more you want.
      Where are these people going to get $$$ to buy more drugs???
      I’ll tell you, DCWU, in my best Sam Kinneson impression……. REMEMBER THIS FACE..DCWU….THERE GOING TO MURDER PEOPLE FOR DRUG MONEY WHILE THEY ARE BURGULARIZING THEIR HOMES, YOU FK-ING IDIOT! OH!..OH!..OH!..OH..OH!
      You’ve been a great crowd…Good night!

      Report Post »  
  • walkwithme1966
    Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:40pm

    Soon, they are coming for your guns!! http://wp.me/sYLB7-outfoxed

    Report Post » walkwithme1966  
    • scout n ambush
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:44am

      You better buy a gun they will roundup the people up without guns first and put them on the new FEMA trains why do you think they are pushing new high speed rails when there is little need for their use & why these areas?

      Report Post » scout n ambush  
    • WISEPENNY
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:56am

      I wish they would confiscate your keyboard, WHACKWITHME1966!!

      Report Post »  
    • WAR PIGS CRAWLING
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 2:13am

      @walkwith666…Gotta ask….who exactly is the “they” that is coming for our guns??? It sure as hell isn’t going to be law enforcement officers (of whom the vast majority leans right), the military (of whom the vast majority leans right), firemen (yep, leans right)??? ….so unless you think you can mobilize the inner-city “hood” to all of a sudden become an enforcer for social justice…..oh, wait…that‘s exactly what you’re doing…….my money is still on the constitutional law abiding citizen.

      Report Post » WAR PIGS CRAWLING  
  • Rogue
    Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:38pm

    I’m confused at why New York state prosecutors are involved in an anti-terrorism case, headed by the DEA, where suspects were all arrested overseas.

    Why is it that our government goes to such great lengths to have criminal trials for these thugs? This should be a military matter, or at the very least a federal case.

    Report Post » Rogue  
    • rtk
      Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:56pm

      “All are expected to be prosecuted in New York.” Overseas US federal cases are prosecuted in designated US District Courts i.e. New York not by NY state prosecutors in New York state courts. The article is ambigious on that point.

      Report Post »  
    • WISEPENNY
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:27am

      I’m confused,too. I thought DEA was Federal. What is an “anti-take” missile? That could be construed as entrapment, however all the facts are unknown. Discovery will tell. Hope it’s a solid case. What a shame if these heavyweights walk on a technicality. Can we legally waterboard them while they’re waiting for extradiction? That may shake a few leads loose. Just sayin’ ………

      Report Post »  
    • Rogue
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 11:16am

      Thanks RTK. I should know better than to try to make sense of the legal system

      Report Post » Rogue  
  • Robert-CA
    Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:32pm

    is Gloria Allred gonna jump in on this one ?
    I’m glad they were caught & please give them the max .

    Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • scout n ambush
      Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:39pm

      Only if she can get screened by TSA on the way there.

      Report Post » scout n ambush  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:52pm

      Terrorism charges were filed against Maroun Saade, Walid Nasir, Francis Sourou Ahissou, Corneille Dato, Martin Raouf Bouraima, Oded Orbach and Alwar Pouryan.
      ————
      We know what that means ?
      Whoopi and Behar have to walk out off their set, again

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:53pm

      @Robert

      Would not suprise me at all if she did.

      @Scout

      Who would want to frisk her, just like with Pelosi.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:03am

      The others were arrested last week in Liberia, where they are in U.S. custody. All are expected to be prosecuted in New York.
      ————-
      Prosecuted in NY and then relocated to Berkeley perhaps ?

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • scout n ambush
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:06am

      Hey snow there are lot’s of liberals in NY and with liberals anything goes.

      Report Post » scout n ambush  
    • Robert-CA
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:18am

      @ CHEEZWHIZ

      I‘m sure that Maroun Saade is a Christian but I don’t care let him rot in prison with the rest terrorists shame on him .

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:19am

      @Scout

      Understood, I have the west coast capital of liberalism insanity next door in CA, living in AZ makes me glad to be in the deserts, the heat keeps most liberals out of the area during the summer time. So I can get a rough picture of what NY must be like with the liberals there; most folks in CA are good people, hard working and all, its just the liberal head cases seem to come from or reside there in abundance at the same time.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • scout n ambush
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 12:34am

      Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law keep Eric Holder away,Our gov‘t needs to do it’s job and show strength not weakness .Mexico is the future Egypt and the muslim jihadies are already set up in the weapons/drug trade just like Afghanistan .South America is full of people who hate us and this is all coming to our front door just like they had Gps it.

      Report Post » scout n ambush  
    • spikebu
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 5:30am

      Sorry. Maroun? It’s just too close to Maroon, as in, “You big Maroon”! The big maroon would be pleased to help the taliban. Well, I’d be pleased if a firefly could zoom up his nose and illuminate his thoughts for us. Are we going to see the evil characters get their comeuppance? I mean the anvil, safe, & refrigerator from on High. Think Wile E Coyote. Although, for a big maroon, you may need Bugs Bunny tactics. Have to think on that. Bugs was more clever than Wile E.

      Report Post »  
    • taskmaster78
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 7:30am

      Simple treason: they must be charged with treason, seeing they are either born here or naturalized. Thus they have help a enemy combatant and must suffer the consequences, hanging or firing squad.

      Report Post »  
    • Grady Curve
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 7:44am

      No but I am Sure Eric Holder will dismiss the case and free them…. You have to know that our federal government has been subverted by the muslim brotherhood and they are hard at work to tear us down from the inside out…

      Report Post » Grady Curve  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 8:07am

      The max is execution as traitors to America. They’ll probably claim to be at war with America and want to be treated as enemy soldiers.

      Report Post »  
    • MOVETERAN
      Posted on February 15, 2011 at 10:42am

      Hmmmmm, sad part is we all know that most dealers knowingly or unknowingly funnel money back to terrorist organizations. It is one of the largest money making processes they use. They have been for years. So I have an idea. If they want to send us opium and hash and some of those other wonderful drugs that it seems some Americans just can’t do without, shouldn’t we give them meth in return? Cause then they would have a good excuse for the strange and erratic behaviors and sudden loss of emotional control that seems to mimic bipolar disorders.

      Report Post » MOVETERAN  

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