A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted Humayun Khan, a businessman in Islamabad, Pakistan for his involvement in an exportation conspiracy. Khan allegedly exported unlicensed oscilloscopes and triggered spark gaps (precision electronic switches that can be used in detonating nuclear weapons) with the assistance of Asher Karni, an Israeli national residing in Capetown, South Africa.
Karni pled guilty to violating export control laws and began cooperating with U.S. authorities shortly after his arrest 15 months ago. Since then, investigators have traced at least one shipment of oscilloscopes from Oregon to South Africa and on to Khan. U.S. officials suspect that the Pakistani government is the ultimate purchaser of the 200 U.S.-made triggered spark gaps from Karni.
As part of an American effort to curb nuclear proliferation, U.S. law prohibits the sale of equipment that can be used in nuclear weapons programs to Pakistan. However, exportation of some advanced dual-use equipment to South Africa, unlike Pakistan, is permitted. Officials accuse Khan and Karni of conspiring to circumvent U.S. export control laws by concealing the true nature of their transactions. Khan is not yet arrested, but the Commerce Department has banned him from doing business in the United States.
Click here to view the press release announcing the indictment and guilty plea in this case.
For further information regarding export control laws, contact Conan Grames at cgrames@kmclaw.com.