Irish firm charged over aircraft parts sent to Iran

AN Irish trading company has been charged with sending helicopter engines and other aircraft parts to Iran, according to an indictment unveiled in a US federal court.

The 25-count indictment charges Mac Aviation of Drumcliffe in Co Sligo, and three of its officials, of buying the components from US companies and sending them to Iran through Malaysia and other countries. The US Justice Department says the recipients included an Iranian military firm, Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial, that the US has designated as a “weapons of mass destruction proliferator” for involvement in Iran’s alleged nuclear and ballistic missile programme.

Justice Department officials said they are seeking the arrest and deportation of the Irishmen: 72-year-old company owner, Tom McGuinn; his 40-year-old son, Sean McGuinn, the sales director; and commercial manager, Sean Byrne.

The indictment, or charge sheet, says that in the three years before charges were filed under seal in July 2008, Mac Aviation bought US aircraft engines and parts while concealing that they were ultimately heading to customers in Iran.

The US imposed sanctions against Iran soon after its 1979 Islamic revolution, which overthrew the US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought hard-line clerics to power. The sanctions included a ban on the export of military technologies.

The indictment charges each of the Mac Aviation defendants with two counts of conspiracy, 19 counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions Regulations, four counts of false statements and forfeiture allegations.

If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences of 10 to 20 years in prison for each of the IEEPA counts, five to 20 years in prison for each of the conspiracy counts, and five years in prison for each of the false statement counts.

The indictment says the purchases included $4.27 million (e3.17m) to Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis, Indiana, for 17 turbo-shaft helicopter engines, originally designed by the US Army but since installed in numerous civil and military helicopters.

The Justice Department claims Mac Aviation was really buying the engines for Tehran businessman, Hossein Ali Khoshnevisrad, who was arrested on March 14 when he flew into San Francisco International Airport as part of the case.