2 men charged in Jordan drone strike that killed 3 US soldiers

Two men have been indicted in federal court in Boston over a deadly drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens earlier this year.

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, 42, a dual U.S.-Iranian national from Natick, Massachusetts, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, also known as Mohammad Abedini, 38, of Iran, were charged with violating U.S. laws export by conspiring to export electronic components to Iran, according to Massachusetts prosecutors. announced Monday.

Abedini was further accused of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The men allegedly conspired to evade U.S. sanctions and provide the Iranian government with a type of drone navigation technology used in the Jan. 28 drone attack on the Tower 22 base in Jordan, a U.S. military outpost, prosecutors said.

Analysis of the drone recovered from the attack site showed that it was an Iranian Shahed drone and that the navigation system used in the drone was the Sepehr navigation system, manufactured by the Abedinis company, prosecutors said in a press release.

The drone, launched by militants backed by the IRGC, hit near a shelter where soldiers were sleeping and killed three U.S. service members. More than 40 people were also injured.

According to prosecutors, Abedini is the founder and chief executive officer of an Iranian company, Sanat Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co., or SDRA, which manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC's military drone program.

The SDRA's main business is selling navigation systems to the IRGC, which are then used in unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

Sadeghi, meanwhile, is employed by a Massachusetts-based microelectronics manufacturer and is a founder of a Massachusetts-based technology company specializing in wearable sensors providing kinetic monitoring for fitness applications. He had received funding from the Iranian government for the company he helped found.

The two men allegedly conspired to procure goods and technology from Sadeghi's workplace, export them and supply them to Iran to Abedini's Iranian company SDRA.

Prosecutors alleged that since or around 2016, Sadeghi repeatedly helped Abedini procure export-controlled U.S. electronic components for his use in Iran.

Because the United States has laws restricting exports to Iran, Abedini allegedly created a Swiss front company for the SDRA called Illumove SA.

While both men are accused of violating U.S. export laws, Abedini is additionally accused of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is the strategic missile force , air and space of the IRGC.

Since at least around 2014, the SDRA has conducted several projects with the IRGC Aerospace Force, including guided rocket and integrated navigation systems projects. As noted, between 2021 and 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA's sales of the Sepehr navigation system, used in the IRGC's unidirectional attack drones, were to the IRGC Aerospace Force, the press release said.

Sadeghi was arrested Monday and is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for December 27. Abedini was also arrested in Italy on Monday at the request of the United States.

NBC News has contacted a public defender listed for Sadeghi. Abedini has not yet retained legal representation in the United States. It is unclear when he will be brought to the United States to face it.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said these arrests demonstrate that the Justice Department will hold accountable those who allow the Iranian regime to continue to target and kill Americans and undermine U.S. national security.

Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said the allegations against the two men clearly show the serious harm that can result when highly sophisticated U.S. technologies subject to export controls end up in the hands of our adversaries.

If convicted, the men each face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million for conspiracy to violate export laws. Abedini additionally faces life in prison, life supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos