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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 06:28 30/11/2007 Detroit man pleads guilty to charges of bid to aid Hezbollah By Reuters Tags: terrorist, U.S., Hezbollah A Detroit-area man on Thursday pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges after a failed 1998 attempt to deliver global positioning systems and night-vision goggles to the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Fawzi Assi, 47, pleaded guilty in federal court in Detroit to attempting to provide support to a terrorist organization under U.S. law, federal prosecutors said. The guilty plea marked the latest twist one of the first prosecutions under a 1996 U.S. law that made it illegal to provide money or other aid to terrorists groups as defined by the U.S. government. Advertisement The U.S. State Department designated Hezbollah a terrorist group in 1997. Assi, who has been held in federal prison for the past three and a half years, now faces up to a 10-year prison term and a fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said. Assi was stopped in July 1998 when he attempted to board a flight from Detroit to Lebanon with two Boeing-manufactured global positioning system kits, night vision goggles and a thermal-imaging camera. In his plea, Assi said he was attempting to deliver the equipment to a person in Lebanon who he knew was buying the gear for Hezbollah. In an earlier hearing, FBI agents testified that Assi had told them during questioning that he supported Hezbollah's goal of driving Israel out of southern Lebanon. Assi fled to Lebanon shortly after his arrest in 1998. He returned to the United States and surrendered to authorities in May 2004. "Anyone who gives money, technology or other material support to any terrorist organization will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy said in a statement. Assi's lawyer, James Thomas, could not be reached for comment. As part of the plea deal with prosecutors, Thomas recommended that Assi be sentenced to between three and four years in federal prison. At the time of his arrest, Assi, a naturalized U.S. citizen who came to the United States in 1978, was an engineer with Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford Motor Company. Related articles: Israel to UN: Hezbollah has tripled its land-to-sea missile arsenal Reports: Mexico, U.S. probing group over alleged Hezbollah funding U.S. moves to clamp down on groups assisting Hezbollah U.S. gives anti-terror funds to mostly Jewish non-profit groups Bookmark to del.icio.us Do Jews have a say? How much influence should Diaspora Jews have over Israel's decision? Nixon's nuke concern Former U.S. president feared Israeli nukes would spark an arms race.   1.   I hope his punishment is severe and that 06:30  |  Gina 30/11/07   2.   Why not prosecute those who export lethal weapons ... to Israel 07:03  |  One State Solution 30/11/07   3.   Impossible 07:34  |  Dan 30/11/07   4.   Strange 07:52  |  Jon 30/11/07   5.   Detroit man aids terrorists 12:59  |  Prudence 30/11/07   6.   2One State Solution well said,and the U.S, has violated its own 14:14  |  lakshmi 30/11/07

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