FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885
October 3, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDICTMENTS RETURNED IN MATERIAL SUPPORT OF TERRORISM
AND ATTEMPTED ARMS EXPORT CASES
Superseding Indictment in Tamil Tigers Case Adds Attempted Export
of Arms and Gun Charges
Indictment Also Returned in Second Case Arising From
Undercover Arms Dealing Investigation
Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury has returned indictments today in U.S. v. Osman, et al., No. CCB-06-0416 and an indictment in U.S. v. Subandi, et al., No. CCB-06-0439 against the three defendants originally charged by complaint, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
“An indictment is a formal statement of charges returned by a grand jury, as required for a defendant to stand trial on felony charges in the United States,” said United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “These indictments replace the earlier indictment and criminal complaints, and include all of the criminal conduct with which the defendants are charged.”
The superseding indictment in U.S. v. Osman, et al., No. CCB-06-0416 adds Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, age 36, a citizen of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, as a defendant to the original indictment of Haniffa Bin Osman, Erick Wotulu and Haji Subandi, which was returned under seal in Maryland on September 14, 2006. Varatharasa was originally charged in Guam last week by a criminal complaint. The superseding indictment re-alleges the facts and charges in the original three-count indictment and adds counts four through six which charge money laundering as to $452,000 transferred from Malaysia to Baltimore on September 28, 2006; attempted export of machine guns, grenade launchers, pistols and sniper rifles from the U.S. to Sri Lanka, also on September 28; and possession of firearms on September 26, 2006 in relation to a crime of violence, specifically, conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The indictment in U.S. v. Subandi, et al., No. CCB-06-0439 re-alleges facts contained in the complaint filed in Guam last week against defendants Haji Subandi, Reinhard Rusli and Helmi Soedirdja and also alleges that on September 24, 2006 two of the defendants placed night vision devices in luggage which they transported to the Guam airport. They “checked” the luggage on a flight destined for Indonesia on which they were manifested as passengers. The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to export defense articles; money laundering as to $2,950 transferred from Indonesia to Baltimore on August 31, 2006 as partial payment for samples of the night vision devices; and attempted export from the U.S. to Indonesia on September 24, 2006 of night vision devices.
In addition to fines, the defendants face the following potential maximum sentences in federal prison:
Bin Osman, Wotulu, Subandi and Varatharasa:
Conspiracy to Export Arms: 5 years
Conspiracy to Provide Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization: 15 years
Money Laundering: 20 years on each of the two counts
Attempted Export of Weapons: 10 years
Possession of Firearms in Relation to a Crime of Violence: mandatory 5 years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed
Subandi, Rusli and Soedirdja:
Conspiracy to Export Defense Articles: 5 years
Money Laundering: 20 years
Attempted Export of Night Vision Devices: 10 years
The defendants’ initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore have not yet been scheduled, and no information is available at this time as to when the defendants will be brought to Maryland.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Baltimore City Police Department. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Maryland James G. Warwick, Christopher Gramiccioni and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marivic P. David for the District of Guam, who are prosecuting the case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Eisenberg, Chief of National Security, who is supervising the case.
This page last modified—October 3, 2006