Al-Rohani accused of being Yemeni secret agent [Archives:2007/1017/Front Page]
By: Amel Al-Ariqi
Jan. 17 ) For the second time, Ameen Ali Al-Rohani, 56, accused of trying to supply stolen U.S. military equipment and defense secrets to Yemen, was denied bail on Thursday.
Arrested four months ago on charges of conspiracy to possess and transmit defense information, unlawfully export defense articles, possess stolen government property and attempted unlawful export of defense articles, Al-Rohani now is charged with being an agent of Yemen, a more serious charge. If convicted, he faces 45 years in federal prison. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning.
Based on the new allegations, U.S. District Court Magistrate Dennis Beck ruled that Al-Rohani was a flight risk and subsequently denied bail. Bail first was denied in September after a prosecutor said Al-Rohani had ties to a terrorist financier plotting to help Al-Qaeda and Hamas.
Al-Rohani's lawyer, David Torres, stated to Bakersfield newspaper that the U.S. Attorney's Office has resorted to a new charge in an attempt to prevent the suspect's release after his relatives provided an estimated $1 million in both mobile and immobile property as bail for his release under the court's demand.
Torres denied that his client, a businessman with trade stores, was spying for the Yemeni government. He pointed out that the case file didn't include such a charge in the beginning; however, the indictment says Al-Rohani purchased and conspired to transport military equipment and documents to his Yemeni homeland.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Faller denied Torres's allegation, saying Al-Rohani established a Bakersfield branch of a Yemeni organization called, “The National Society for Yemeni Immigrants.” As a leader of that organization, Al-Rohani received instructions directly from the Yemeni government, Faller said.
Operating out of his cigarette store on Rosedale Highway in Bakersfield, Al-Rohani bought military equipment from an undercover agent who told Al-Rohani the goods were stolen from the Army, according to the indictment. The gear included bulletproof vests, night vision goggles and what Al-Rohani believed were sensitive military laptop computers.
According to the indictment, Al-Rohani originally raised suspicion in 2003 after a U.S. Customs officer discovered boxes addressed to Yemen filled with bulletproof vests, chemical protective suits and other military equipment.
“The Yemeni Embassy in Washington is following Al-Rohani's case,” Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi said in a statement to News Yemen, noting that Al-Rohani's defense lawyer informed the Yemeni government that his client is accused of spying with the aim of detaining him. Al-Qirbi denied that Yemen was involved in any act of spying against the U.S.
Arrested Sept. 7 at his Bakersfield cigarette shop, Al-Rohani is one of three indicted Yemenis who had become U.S. citizens. A federal grand jury in Fresno, Calif., last year indicted Mohammed Al-Rahimi, 62, and Ibrahim A. Omer, 40, for illegally exporting sensitive military equipment, including body armor and chemical protective suits.
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