Amen Ahmed Ali: agent of the Yemeni regime
A new indictment charges Ali was working on behalf of the Yemeni government. The prior indictment charged Ali with buying military secrets and equipment with the intention of transporting them to Yemen. Earlier reports indicated he was using the facilities of the Yemeni consul offices in California.
Bakersfield: A Bakersfield business owner gave military secrets and equipment to Yemen as an agent of that country, a new indictment filed by the United States Attorney’s Office alleges.
Amen Ahmed Ali purchased what he believed were secret U.S. government documents and military equipment and shipped them to Yemen as an agent of the Yemeni government from 2005 to 2006, according to the indictment filed Thursday.
Ali was previously charged with buying and transporting military secrets and documents to Yemen, but he was not previously charged with doing so on behalf of the Yemeni government, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Faller.
Under the new indictment, Ali is charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, unlawful export of defense articles and possession of stolen government property, attempted unlawful export of defense articles, conspiracy to gather, possess and transmit defense information and gathering defense information.
The new charges ratchet up the number of years Ali faces in prison from 30 to 45.
Ali’s attorney, David Torres, said the new charges are not true. They were filed to block Ali’s release from custody as he awaits trial, Torres said. The attorney cobbled together more than $1 million in assets to secure Ali’s return to court if the judge releases him; Torres will make a request to release him Tuesday.
Faller said this is not true. He said further investigation since Ali’s September arrest gave rise to the new charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s office has since learned that Ali organized a Bakersfield branch of a Yemeni government-run organization known as the National Association of Yemeni Immigrants after being a member and at times the president of the Delano branch, according to the new indictment.
He received instructions from the Yemeni government from as far back as 1987, according to the indictment.
Since then, Ali acted as an agent of the Yemeni government when he directed the divorce of two other people in 2000 and ordered the arrest of another individual in 2002 when that person returned to Yemen, the indictment alleges.
Ali’s friend Hifthallah Alrowhany said Faller has mischaracterized Ali and the National Association of Yemeni Immigrants.
“We know this man forever,” Alrowhany said. “He is a family man.”
He said Ali would never have reason to hurt the U.S. government.
Alrowhany also said the association is not run by Yemen. Rather it helps immigrants who have difficulty with the Yemeni government.
“We (in the Yemeni community) have disputes and the association acts as a mediator,” said Alrowhany, who is also a member of the association.
Faller believes Ali and others helped to transport and sell the U.S. military goods. Ibrahim A. Omer is indicted with transporting these goods and Mohamed al-Rahimi is indicted with conspiracy to possess stolen government property. Their charges have not changed.
Omer faces 15 years in prison and is out of custody on bail.
Al-Rahimi faces five years in prison, but the government has been unable to find him.
Authorities launched an investigation into Ali after a U.S. Customs officer discovered boxes addressed to Yemen full of bullet-proof vests, chemical protective suits and U.S. military equipment in 2003, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The federal government never found out who supplied Ali with the goods, but sent an undercover agent in 2004 to offer Ali stolen military property.
Through this connection, Ali acquired what he believed were stolen military secrets and tried to ship them to Yemen. He also bought and ordered the shipment of military laptop computers, night vision goggles and ballistic vests to Yemen, according to the indictment.
Then, al-Rahimi allegedly flew to Yemen to sell property in late 2005. Al-Rahimi called Ali from Yemen to discuss the sale and Ali faxed a sheet with prices for the military equipment to Yemen in early 2006, according to the indictment.
Ali and Omer are expected to return to federal court in Fresno Tuesday to discuss the new indictment, Ali’s bail and other issues.
The indictment dated 8/31/06
