4460 OrchaPel Lake Poacl
West Bloomfield, MI 48323
248.683.1010
a
'gen/
Assisted 1k/in +
Suspect Missing
Dearborn man is charged with selling to Hezbollah.
hours of phone conversations, "not
one item suggested he was a member
of, or sympathetic to Hezbollah,"
Steingold said.
ithout warning, Fawzi
Federal agents said Assi admitted
Mustapha Assi left his
involvement during questioning after
Dearborn home on
his arrest and discussed his contacts
Tuesday and disappeared
with
the agents.
into the morning light.
That
Assi may have discussed his
Assi, scheduled to appear in U. S.
contacts
in Lebanon with federal
District Court on three charges of pro-
agents worries his family that he may
viding material support to the terrorist
have been killed, Steingold said.
group Hezbollah, may have either fled
Assi, 38, an Ford Motor Company
the country, committed suicide or been
engineer
for the past 11 years, is legal-
murdered by Hezbollah, according to
ly
divorced
but was still living with his
his attorney, David Steingold.
wife
and
three
children.
Assi, who emigrated from Lebanon
"Every
member
of his family lives
20 years ago, is the first person charged
in
the
United
States.
He has an out-
in Detroit under a relatively new feder-
standing
work
record,
and there's
al anti-terrorism statute. He is accused
nothing to indicate that he would
of attempting to provide global posi-
flee," said Steingold. "He specifically
tioning equipment, night-vision gog-
denied yesterday (Monday) under oath
gles and a thermal-imaging camera to a
that he had anything to do with
terrorist organization, trying to export
Hezbollah."
night-vision equipment without a
Assi was placed on an electric tether
license, and exporting thermal-imaging
after
being released on a $100,000
cameras without a license. Assi intend-
unsecured bond Monday night, and
ed that the equipment would be used
his father put up his house as surety,
by Hezbollah in unmanned surveillance
said Helland.
aircraft, according to U.S. Artorney
The monitor showed he left his
Saul Green.
house
at 7:15 Tuesday morning.
A conviction of these offenses car-
While
stunned family members and
ries a maximum penalty of 30 years in
a
very
disappointed
Steingold waited
prison and a $750,000 fine.
for Assi's appearance, Steingold said,
Steingold disputes the purpose of
"I've never said this about anybody
the equipment seized from Assi: "The
before, but I'm hoping my client had
equipment he was caught with were
a traffic accident."
not articles of war. He was making
Judge Denise Hood issued a bench
money on it. He said he did not know
warrant
for Assi's arrest, revoked his
with whom he was doing business."
$100,000
unsecured bond, and said,
Steingold alleged that the global-
"It's
11:30.
Even in some pretty good
positioning equipment is "one step
traffic, you can get here from Dear-
above what you see in a Cadillac
born in a half an hour."
today."
Don Cohen of the Anti-Defama-
According to an affidavit, Assi was
tion
League/Michigan Region, said,
detained at Detroit Metro Airport July
"He
should have never been allowed
.13, when U.S. Customs agents confis-
to
go
free after the U.S. Attorney's
cated the equipment as he prepared to
office
provided compelling FBI testi-
leave on a two-week vacation to
mony
at his detention hearing last Fri-
Lebanon.
day (July 24).
He was then placed on 24-hour
"The judicial system clearly under-
surveillance by the FBI and ques-
estimated
the sophistication and dedi-
tioned several more times until his
cation
of
those
who actively support
arrest July 23, according to Assistant
and
engage
in
terrorism."
Said Stein-
U.S. Attorney Lynn Helland.
gold
on
Tuesday,
"Assi's
father
stands
Steingold maintained that Assi had
to
lose
his
house
because
of
this.
Assi
Feb.
2,
been under surveillance since
demonstrated
his
dishonesty,
and
any-
and that the FBI tapped his home and
thing
else
he
told
me
in
the
past,
I
will
work phones.
consider
suspect."
El
After more than 1,300 recorded
HARRY KIRSBAUM
Staff Writer
1•1
INT
ofclOesi (Bloomfield
in
Studios and suites with private baths
Three well planned daily meals
Emergency call systems
with catered services Housekeeping and linen services
Round the clock staffing
Nurse manager
beautiful surroundin g s Personal care assistance
Medical supervision
Spa with pool and exercise room
created especiall y
Scheduled activities
Game room
Library
for olcler adults.
Hair salon
Sundries shop
Transportation
gfi5 -2Z*1
Valet parking for residents
Includes all utilities with the exception of telephone and cable television
Call Renee Mahler at 248.683.1010 for additional information
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Buy one pair of Women's or Children's
Shoes or Sandals at the Sale Price and
Get the Other Pair at the Same
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*Table & Rack Shoes & Sandals only. All sales final.
No refunds or exchanges. All previous sales excluded.
Greg
SHOES
MKNIGHTSt
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ORCHARD MALL
Orchard Lake Rd. • N. of Maple
W. Bloomfield • 248-851-5566
"Serving the community for over 40 years"
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(248) 352-7030
7/31
1998
Detroit Jewish News
9