British Man On Trial in New Jersey for Trying to Sell Missiles to Militants By VOA News
05-January-2005 0201
 
 

A jury in the U.S. state of New Jersey has been selected in the trial of a British businessman arrested for trying to sell shoulder-to-fired missiles that could be used to bring down aircraft.

Hemant Lakhani, 69, was arrested in 2003 following an undercover FBI sting operation. Prosecutors are basing their case on several recorded conversations between Mr. Lakhani and an undercover Pakistani informant posing as a terrorist.

Prosecutors say Mr. Lakhani knew the missiles could be used to shoot down commercial airliners.

But Mr. Lakhani's attorney says his client was enticed by a promise of a multi-million-dollar payday if the deal went through.