Weapons plot busted

November 23, 2009 (WPVI) -- A weapons sting may have obliterated a big time weapons deal, destination Syria and Iran.

At first the scheme included transporting stolen goods like cell phones and laptops. But it escalated from there.

Authorities have arrested five people including one man who according to the affidavit was looking for missiles that could take down an F-16.

It started with cell phones, and in months, law enforcement says the defendants bought laptop computers, Sony Playstations, and automobiles from an undercover agent.

By June of this year, Dani Nemr Tarraf was allegedly asking the agent if he could supply guided missiles and said he wanted to export approximately 10,000 commando machine guns to a port in Syria where Tarraf believed secrecy was guaranteed.

Then on July 28th, in Philadelphia, authorities say Tarraf paid the undercover agent a deposit of approximately $20-thousand toward the cost of purchasing the stinger missiles and the machine guns and shipping the items outside the United States.

Tarraf allegedly traveled to Philadelphia last week to inspect the merchandise.

One expert points to a similar bust in New York this past May and isn't surprised about the Philadelphia connection.

Philadelphia is a major transit port between NY and DC.

As to whether Tarraf has any connection to terrorist organizations federal law enforcement declined to say. But according to the affidavit, Tarraf was asking the undercover agent to acquire the weapons that could be shipped to Iran or Syria for what he called the Resistance.

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philadelphia, pennsylvania, delaware, new jersey, crime, katherine scott

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