Hemant Lakhani

Hemant Lakhani (born 1935) is an British alleged illegal arms dealer accused of supplying an Igla missile to terrorists.(1)

Born in Gujarat he moved to London in 1974, going on to gain British nationality.

Prior to his arms dealing Hemant and his wife Kusum ran a number of businesses, including an export/import business Multitrade (London) Ltd and Reliance Clothing Company Ltd.

The extent of Hemant's background in Russia remains unknown, although one of his fellow directors in the Reliance Clothing Company is known to maintain a Moscow address. He was first noticed by the FSB in March 2003 and his past is presently being investigated by India's Central Bureau of Investigation.

It is thought that he approached the Dyagteryov Arms Factory to purchase the missile after researching the company on the internet. Due to a tip-off from MI6, the FSB agent posed as a representative of the company to sell him a disabled Igla missile.

There is some evidence that MI6 grew interested in him after he made contact with Ukrspetsexport an arms company suspected of supplying illegal arms to Iraq.

He was convicted in April 2005 of attempting to provide material support to terrorists, unlawful brokering of foreign defense articles and attempting to import merchandise into the U.S. by means of false statements, plus two counts of money laundering. He has been sentenced to 47 years in prison.

(1)http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1088

External links

*http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4239588.stm
*http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade/story/0,10674,1018257,00.html
*http://www.njusao.org/files/la0813_r.htm
*http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/6229181?source=Evening%20Standard
*http://www.thislife.org/ra/292.ram