MILNET Brief

MILNET Brief
xU.S. v. Osma, et all

Purchase of Equipment for Export to Tamil Tigers

There are a total of six individuals charged in this case, including the suspected arms dealer captured after a sting operation that began in the U.S. and ended with arrests in Guam in September of 2006. Two defandants are charged with exported banned defense articles namely high tech weapons sight and night vision goggles and the other four are charged with the attempt to purchase night vision devices, sniper rifles, submachine guns with suppressors and grenade launchers). All six are charged with money laundering. The weapons were allegedly headed for the Tamil Tigers, an extremely violent terrorist group operating in Sri Lanka and whom wish to create their own Tamil state by overthrowing the Sri Lankian government. ^{DOJ, 1}

Two of the conspirators, Rusli and Soedirdja, pled guilty on January 30, 2007 to charges of weapons export without licences and money laundering, the rest are awaiting trail on May 14, 2007 ²

The charges for each of the alleged conspirators are listed below:

Name	Charges (Indictment count and description)
Haniffa Bin Osman	6 counts (1-6) 1s - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2s - 18:2339B(a)(1) Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization 3s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 4s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 5s - 22:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting 6s - 18:924(c) Use & Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence
Erick Wotulo	6 counts (1-6) 1s - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2s - 18:2339B(a)(1) Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization 3s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 4s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 5s - 22:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting 6s - 18:924(c) Use & Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence
Haji Subandi	6 counts (1-6) 1s - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2s - 18:2339B(a)(1) Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization 3s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 4s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 5s - 22:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting 6s - 18:924(c) Use & Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence
Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa	6 counts (1-6) 1s - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2s - 18:2339B(a)(1) Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization 3s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 4s - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 5s - 22:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting 6s - 18:924(c) Use & Carry of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence
Reinhard Rusli	3 counts (1-3) (Pled Guilty) 1 - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2 - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 3 - 18:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting
Helmi Soedirdja	3 counts (1-3) (Pled Guilty) 1 - 18:371 CONSPIRACY TO Export Arms & Munitions 2 - 18:1956(a)(2)(A) Money Laundering; 18:2 Aiding & Abetting 3 - 18:2778 Attempted Export of Arms & Munitions;18:2 Aiding & Abetting

Case Documents:

Docket Report, Rusli and Soedirdja (Note that Subandi's case is now part of U.S. v. Osman below and will go to trial)
Docket Report Osman, et. all
ICE Statement on the original indictment
DOJ Statement on the case

Sources:

6 Indicted on Arms Brokering Charges, Brian Witte, Washington Post, 9/29/06
2 Plead Guilty in Arms Case, A.P., Fox News, 01/30/07