U.S. CHARGES FOUR WITH TRAFFICKING TO BENEFIT TERROR

NEW YORK - Federal prosecutors in New York have charged four men as
part of two undercover overseas drug stings by U.S. officials.

The criminal charges represent the latest efforts by U.S. officials to
crack down on what they say is a "growing nexus" between illegal
narcotics trafficking and terrorism funding.

"Both [sets of defendants] were prepared to traffic in terrorism, not
just drugs," said Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, at a
news conference on Tuesday.

The undercover operations included heroin buys by U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration informants in Afghanistan and in Romania,
according to two criminal indictments unsealed Tuesday.

In both cases, confidential government informants posing as associates
of Hezbollah and the Taliban told the defendants that the heroin was
destined for the U.S. and that the profits would be used to fund known
terrorist groups, according to the indictments.

According to one of the indictments, Taza Gul Alizai, an Afghan man,
allegedly sold six AK-47 assault rifles and about 15 kilograms of
heroin over a two-year period to a DEA informant who purported to be a
broker of weapons and drugs and said profits from the drug sales would
be given to the Taliban.

Mr. Gul has been charged with engaging in a narcoterrorism conspiracy,
with narcoterrorism and with narcotics importation. He could face up
to life in prison on the charges.

He was arrested Monday in the Maldives. In a court appearance in
Manhattan on Tuesday, Mr. Gul pleaded not guilty to the charges; he
remains in custody. A lawyer for Mr. Gul declined to comment.

In the other indictment, three men have been charged in alleged
conspiracies to import heroin or to provide material support to Hezbollah.

Sioavosh Henareh, also known as "the Doctor," allegedly agreed to help
government informants import heroin to the U.S., prosecutors said. The
informants allegedly told Mr. Henareh that profits from the sale of
heroin in the U.S. would go to Hezbollah, according to court documents.

Through their meetings with Mr. Henareh, the informants were allegedly
introduced to Cetin Aksu and to Bachar Wehbe, a Lebanese man,
prosecutors said.

Messrs. Aksu and Wehbe allegedly tried to buy military-grade weapons
from the informants, including Stinger antiaircraft missiles, AK-47
assault rifles and Glock handguns, according to court documents. Mr.
Wehbe claimed he was buying weapons on instructions of Hezbollah,
prosecutors said. Mr. Aksu and Mr. Henareh have been charged with
conspiracy to distribute heroin, which carries a sentence of up to
life in prison. Mr. Aksu and Mr. Wehbe also have been charged with
conspiracy to provide material support to Hezbollah and conspiracy to
acquire antiaircraft missiles. The charge of conspiracy to acquire
antiaircraft missiles carries a sentence of up to life in prison.

Mr. Wehbe, who was arrested in the Maldives on Monday, pleaded not
guilty to the charges against him in federal court in Manhattan on
Tuesday. He remains in custody. A lawyer for Mr. Wehbe declined to
comment.

Messrs. Aksu and Henareh were arrested in Romania on Monday and
prosecutors are expected to seek their extradition to the U.S.
Authorities in the Maldives and in Romania cooperated in the arrests.

Lawyers for Mr. Aksu and Mr. Henareh couldn't immediately be
identified.