Four foreign nationals faced charges on Thursday for transporting suspected Iranian-made weapons on a vessel intercepted by U.S. naval forces in the Arabian Sea last month. The mission resulted in the deaths of two Navy SEALs.
According to U.S. officials, Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers fell into the gap between the vessel and the SEALs’ combatant craft while boarding the boat on Jan. 11 due to high waves. Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, from Trophy Club, Texas, attempted to rescue Chambers by jumping in, as reported by officials familiar with the incident.
The criminal complaint, unsealed in U.S. District Court in Richmond on Thursday, alleges that the four defendants were transporting suspected Iranian-made missile components for weapons used by Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco emphasized the threat posed by the flow of missiles and advanced weaponry from Iran to Houthi rebel forces, endangering American interests and those of regional partners. Monaco mourned the loss of two Navy SEALs in the operation, which prevented the defendants from allegedly smuggling Iranian-made weapons that could have targeted American forces and jeopardized navigation in vital waterways.
Muhammad Pahlawan faces charges for attempting to smuggle advanced missile components, including a warhead intended for use by Houthi rebels against commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. He is also accused of providing false information to U.S. Coast Guard officers during the vessel’s boarding.
Pahlawan’s co-defendants — Mohammad Mazhar, Ghufran Ullah, and Izhar Muhammad — also face charges of providing false information.
