Aussie accused for plotting to export US army items to Iran

Washington/Melbourne, Mar 2: An Australian man has been indicted by a US federal grand jury for plotting to export sensitive materials and American military technology to Iran, including components with applications in missiles, drones, torpedoes and helicopters.

David Levick, 50, and his company ICM Components, based in Thorleigh, Australia, were each charged yesterday with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Arms Export Control Act; the US Justice Department said in a statement.

Levick, who is the general manager of ICM Components, remains at large and is believed to be in Australia, it said. Levick also was charged with four counts of illegally exporting goods to an embargoed nation in violation of the IEEPA, the statement added.

According to the indictment, between March 2007 and March 2009, Levick and ICM solicited purchase orders from a representative of a trading company in Iran for US-origin aircraft parts and other goods.

This person in Iran also operated and controlled companies in Malaysia that acted as intermediaries for the Iranian trading company, the statement said.

If convicted, Levick faces a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and 20 years in prison for each count of violating IEEPA.

Meanwhile, Levick said today he knew nothing about the indictment or even that he had been investigated by a US grand jury.

"Never heard about it before," he told ABC radio.

Levick said he had bought goods in the US and sent them to a contact in Iran, but he didn't realise they were subject to an embargo.

"Well I didn't even know there was an embargo against it because the guy that actually contacted me actually thought I was in Austria," he was quoted as saying by The Australian.

Levick's indictment comes amid tense ties between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear programme.

PTI