Indian engineer in US charged with conspiracy

WASHINGTON: An Indian engineer has been charged by federal prosecutors in the US state of Pennsylvania with conspiring to ship graphite products to the UAE that possibly could be used for nuclear or military purposes.

According to federal authorities, Manoj Bhayana, 39, worked with another person and three companies - all unnamed to conceal the origin of the graphite products sent to a trading company in the Emirates.

The engineer is accused of falsifying shipping documents indicating the graphite products were provided by a particular company when he knew they had not been.

"Had these documents not been falsified, the graphite could not have been shipped from the US," American Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan was quoted as saying by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

Some graphite materials are used in nuclear reactors. Military uses for graphite include blocking electromagnetic waves used by the enemy to detect troops.

The investigation was headed by the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, which looks into crimes involving the export of "commodities that can be used for commerical purposes as well as for military purposes by adversaries or potential adversaries of the United States.

Bhayana, who is not in custody, faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, if convicted.