U.S. Businessman Pleads Not Guilty to Illegally Shipping Computer Equipment to Iran

U.S. businessman Mohammad Farahbakhsh pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of illegally shipping computer equipment to an Iranian company believed to be linked to Tehran’s missile efforts, according to the Associated Press (see GSN, Feb. 3).

Farahbakhsh asked to be released on bond, while prosecutors argued the Iranian national was a flight risk. No decision was made, AP reported.

Farahbakhsh’s lawyer, Kristan Peters, said that the items her client allegedly shipped posed no threat and could be obtained online.

“This is a licensing case, not a case involving weapons and nuclear technology as the government insists,” Peters said. “I don’t think we should be prejudiced here, just because he has a funny-sounding last name” (John Christoffersen, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Feb. 17).

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