Two
Iranian-Americans Charged With Spying on Jewish, Israeli Facilities
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BY: Adam Kredo
August 20, 2018 5:23 pm
Two Iranian-Americans have been charged by
the Trump administration with spying on Jewish and Israeli-associated
facilities in California on behalf of the hardline Iranian regime, the
Department of Justice announced late Monday.
The charges, first made public on
Monday, are among the first by the Trump administration charging Iranian spies
of running operations on the Jewish and American communities on American soil.
"The National Security Division is
committed to protecting the United States from individuals within our country
who unlawfully act on behalf of hostile foreign nations," Assistant
Attorney General John Demers said in a statement.
The two Iranian individuals—identified as
Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani,
an Iranian citizen and resident of California—"with allegedly acting on
behalf of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran by conducting covert
surveillance of Israeli and Jewish facilities in the United States, and
collecting identifying information about American citizens and U.S. nationals
who are members of the group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK)," an Iranian
OPPOSITION group that promotes regime change in the Islamic Republic.
"Doostdar and Ghorbani are alleged to
have acted on behalf of Iran, including by conducting surveillance of political
opponents and engaging in other activities that could put Americans at
risk," Demers said. "With their arrest and these charges, we are
seeking to hold the defendants accountable."
U.S. officials working on the case said
the Trump administration will not permit Iranian regime-backed agents to
operate with impunity on American soil.
"This indictment demonstrates the
commitment of the Department of Justice to hold accountable agents of foreign
governments who act illegally within the United States, especially where those
agents are conducting surveillance of individuals and
Constitutionally-protected activities in this country," Jessie K. Liu,
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a statement.
The Iranian individuals are charged with
"knowingly acting as agents of the government of Iran without prior
notification to the Attorney General, providing services to Iran in violation
of U.S. sanctions, and conspiracy," according to the Justice Department.
"Both defendants were arrested on Aug. 9, pursuant to criminal complaints
issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia."
"In or about July 2017, Doostdar
traveled to the United States from Iran in order to collect intelligence
information about entities and individuals considered by the government of Iran
to be enemies of that regime, including Israeli and Jewish interests, and
individuals associated with the MEK, a group that advocates the overthrow of
the current Iranian government," according to the indictment.
"On or about July 21, 2017, Doostdar
is alleged to have conducted surveillance of the Rohr Chabad House, a Jewish
institution located in Chicago, including photographing the security features
surrounding the facility," the Justice Department noted.
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