NYC Man Sought to Sell Guns, Ammo to Terrorists, Federal Prosecutors Say
Sting snags man allegedly seeking to supply Hezbollah.
Oct. 27, 2009 — -- A New York City man has been charged for agreeing to supply guns and ammunition to Hezbollah, a Lebanese group deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, and authorities are still looking for his alleged accomplice.
Patrick Nayyar, 46, and the man officials say he worked with, Conrad Mulholland, allegedly spent three months this summer meeting with an FBI informant, who pretended to be working for Hezbollah.
The men "unlawfully and knowingly did provide and attempt to provide 'material support or resources,'" said the indictment filed in the U.S. Southern District of New York Monday.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE INDICTMENT.
During the meetings, federal prosecutors say the two supplied the informant with a handgun, box of ammunition and a pick-up truck, which they say Nayyar and Mulholland thought was being sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon. They allegedly made plans to supply the group with additional supplies, including firearms, vehicles, bulletproof vests and night vision goggles. The indictment shows both men face four counts related to the allegations.
Nayyar plead "not guilty" at his arraignment in the U.S. Southern District of New York today and his attorney, Martin Schmukler told ABC News.com, "I haven't seen anything to convince me that there is any reason to believe that my client is a terrorist. Anything but."
Nayyar, an Indian citizen living illegally in Queens, NY, was arrested on Sept. 24 for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. Officials say he faced that charge in the U.S. Eastern District of New York and, because he waived his right to a preliminary hearing, spent more than a month in custody until the charges were transferred to the U.S. Southern District of New York this week.
Mulholland, who goes by the name "Stan," remains at-large.
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