Reykjavik Transit

Federal agents arrested Hossein Ardebili an Iranian attempting to purchase phased array radar in Georgia, Eastern Europe in '07 and secretly extradited him to the United States. Although Ardebili wanted to meet the salesmen in Dubai, the undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent lured him to Georgia. Phased array antennae date from WWII and are used in FM radio broadcasting as well as in radar, where the radar beam is electronically steered through phased array systems to direct radar beams fast enough to maintain a fire control quality track on many targets simultaneously while also controlling several in-flight missiles.

The Iranian, who has been quietly jailed in a Philadelphia-area prison for nearly two years, pleaded guilty to charges in 2008 and faces up to 140 years in prison.

The case had been sealed from public view while U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents scoured the dealer's laptop to pursue hundreds of leads about Iran's covert effort to acquire American military gear. Ardebili, whose nickname online was Alex Dave, negotiated the purchases of 1,000 state-of-the-art radar shifters, 10 gyro chip sensors used in advanced aircraft applications, and a digital air computer for an F-4 aircraft, prosecutors said.Ardebili, a former Iranian government procurement official, pleaded guilty May 19, 2008, to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which essentially prohibits arms and other sales to Iran. He was also charged with money-laundering and conspiracy.

Labels: extradited, Hossein Ardebili, I.C.E., International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Phased array