Walnut Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Smuggling Rifles to Syria

A Los Angeles County man was sentenced Thursday to 46 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle rifle scopes and other tactical gear to Syria in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions imposed on Syria by the United States.

Rasheed Al Jijakli, a 57-year-old Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Walnut, pleaded guilty in August to a felony conspiracy count and admitted he worked with others to export tactical gear from the United States to Syria, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

During the sentencing hearing at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana, U.S. District Judge James V. Selna agreed with prosecutors that the equipment Jijakli took to Syria -- including U.S.-origin laser bore sighters and day-and night-vision rifle scopes -- were "instruments of death."

Prosecutors said that in July 2012, Jijakli traveled from Los Angeles to Istanbul with the intent that the equipment would be provided to Syrian rebels training in Turkey and fighting in Syria.

Jijakli provided some of the tactical gear, specifically the laser bore sighters, to a second co-conspirator, who he learned was a member of the militant group Ahrar Al-Sham, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which said Jijakli also provided goods to other armed Syrian insurgent groups in Syria and Turkey.

Jijakli and his co-conspirators knowingly provided at least 43 laser bore sighters, 85 day rifle scopes, 30 night-vision rifle scopes, tactical flashlights, a digital monocular, five radios and a bulletproof vest to Ahrar Al-Sham and other Syrian rebels in Syria, or with knowledge that the tactical gear was going to Syria, federal prosecutors said.

Additionally, in August and September 2012, Jijakli directed co-conspirators to withdraw thousands of dollars from Palmyra Corp., where Jijakli was the CEO, to pay for tactical gear that would be provided to Syrian rebels, court papers show.