Man Facing Gun Smuggling Charges

DETROIT (AP) â€” Federal authorities accused a man of shipping guns and ammunition to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, allegedly hiding the arms in cargo crates. <br><br>Ali Boumelhem, 35, on Monday faced

Tuesday, November 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) â€” Federal authorities accused a man of shipping guns and ammunition to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, allegedly hiding the arms in cargo crates.

Ali Boumelhem, 35, on Monday faced charges in U.S. District Court of shipping firearms to a nonlicensed person. A bond hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.

Federal agents say they watched Boumelhem, a resident of Detroit and Beirut, travel to gun shows to buy gun parts and ammunition for shipment overseas.

Boumelhem was arrested Friday by the FBI's joint terrorism task force, just before he was scheduled to travel to Lebanon, authorities said. He is accused of being a leader in Amal, a Lebanese militia organization, and a sympathizer with Hezbollah.