Arrest In Miami 'Conspiracy' Involving Spare Parts For Syria

MIAMI, FL — A Bulgarian national was arrested by federal agents in connection with an alleged conspiracy by a Miami export company to violate an export ban to war-torn Syria. U.S. officials charged 29-year-old Zhelyaz Andreev in a conspiracy to export so-called "dual-use goods" to Syrian Arab Airlines in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Export Administration Regulations and Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations.

The arrest was announced on Wednesday, the same day that President Trump took to Twitter to telegraph a planned missile strike against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad in retaliation for Syria's suspected chemical attack that killed at least 40 people.

Federal officials define dual-use goods as articles that have both civilian and military applications. Syrian Arab Airlines is Syria's official government airline.

"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria," the president declared. "Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"

The airline has been singled out by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for transporting weapons and ammunition to Syria along with Hizballah, a terrorist organization, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

"According to court documents, Andreev worked in the Bulgaria office of AW-Tronics, a Miami export company, which shipped and exported various aircraft parts and equipment to Syrian Arab Airlines," federal prosecutors said. "Andreev dealt directly with the Syrian Air principals who procured the parts."

The arrest was announced on Wednesday by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI's Miami Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Robert Luzzi of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in the Miami Field Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ricardo Del Toro and Michael Thakur of the Southern District of Florida; and Trial Attorney Matthew Walczewski of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Andreev was arrested under an Interpol Red Notice based on a February 2017 indictment, which named numerous others.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley votes yes while Bolivian Ambassador to the United Nations Sacha Sergio Llorenty Soliz votes no on a U.S. draft resolution to create a new inquiry to find blame for the chemical weapons attack last week in Douma, Syria during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.