U.S. Charges 3 Men For Smuggling Missiles To Terrorists In Vessel Seized Off Somalia
The United States Department of Justice has announced charges against two Iranian brothers and a Pakistani captain in connection with a missile smuggling operation seized off the coast of Somalia in January 2024.
Shahab and Yunus Mir’kazei, Iranian nationals, along with Pakistani dhow captain Muhammad Pahlawan, are suspected of facilitating the shipment of advanced weaponry to Yemen, including missile components used in recent Houthi rebel attacks.
According to the charges, the Mir’kazei brothers formed a smuggling network in which Pahlawan made several journeys from Iran to Yemen.
These missions were supposed to transfer crucial components for ballistic and anti-ship missiles, which have been linked to attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea that have also resulted in several casualties.
Pahlawan, currently in US custody, made three such journeys, the last of which ended with his dhow being intercepted by US Navy SEALs and Coast Guard officers.
During this operation, as the dhow approached the Somali coast, Pahlawan is said to have instructed the crew to burn the vessel and hide his identity.
Despite all of this, the boarding team discovered numerous missile components, including guidance systems and radar assemblies.
The seizure of these items coincided with previously identified patterns of weaponry trafficking from Iran to Yemen. The mission also claimed the lives of two Navy SEALs, who fell overboard and were later declared dead.
Shahab and Yunus Mir’kazei, together with Pahlawan, are charged with providing material assistance to terrorists that resulted in casualties and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation.
Pahlawan also faces allegations of manipulating evidence and making false statements to law enforcement. If convicted, they could face life sentences.
Three crew members- Mazhar Mohammad, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad are also charged with supplying misleading data to authorities. While these crew members and Pahlawan are in US custody, the Mir’kazei brothers are still free and suspected to be in Iran.
The charges reveal the Mir’kazei brothers’ involvement with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as Pahlawan’s role in operating a smuggling vessel owned by Shahab Mir’kazei.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, United States Attorney Jessica D. Aber, and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells made the announcement. Assistant US Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Gavin R. Tisdale and Trial Attorney Lesley Woods are leading the prosecution.
Reference: US Department of Justice
