Trial for four "Pakistanis" for smuggling weapons into Yemen

Four individuals, identified with Pakistani papers, have been brought before a US federal court on charges of transporting weapons from Iran to Yemen in support of the Houthi faction. The US Justice Department has also detained 10 other individuals as material witnesses, withholding their identities. The events unfolded when US Central Command Navy forces, assisted by Navy SEALs and US Coast Guard, intercepted a vessel in the Arabian Sea on Jan 11.

During the search of the vessel, US forces uncovered and confiscated Iranian-manufactured advanced weaponry, including crucial components for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, along with a warhead and guidance systems, as stated by an FBI affidavit.

The seized weaponry is believed to align with armaments used by Houthi forces in recent attacks on both US military and merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to the Justice Department.

Following safety concerns about the vessel's seaworthiness, the 14 crew members were transferred to the USS Lewis B. Puller. The defendants and witnesses were subsequently transferred to the Eastern District of Virginia for legal proceedings.

On Feb 11, arrest warrants were issued for four mariners aboard the vessel, named Mohammad Pahlawan, Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufranullah, and Izhar Mohammad, with Pakistani identification cards allegedly discovered onboard.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen stated that defendant Pahlawan faces charges of knowingly transporting a warhead aboard the vessel, intending for it to be used against commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea. The other defendants are charged with providing false information to US Coast Guard officers during the boarding regarding the vessel's crew and cargo.

US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Justice Department's commitment to holding those accountable for facilitating weapon flows from Iran to groups such as the Houthis, Hamas, and others, endangering US and allied interests.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco echoed these concerns, highlighting the threat posed by advanced weaponry reaching rebel groups in Yemen.

The arrests underscore US efforts to counter alleged weapon supplies from Iran to the Houthis, raising questions about regional dynamics and potential geopolitical tensions