“This is a very serious legal matter of international proportions. I have a similar experience from years ago, when the New York branch (LDS) of Ljubljanska Banka found itself in the process before the American authorities. The indictment was processed through the FBI at the federal level, so this is not a case of the state of California, the United States of America are in the role of the plaintiff, “a former constitutional judge Dr. Boštjan M. Zupančič commented on the indictment of the US judiciary against two Iranian citizens who chose Slovenia as their fake selling destination of computer equipment that was actually shipped to Iran.
We reported exclusively yesterday that a federal jury in Los Angeles confirmed an indictment of two Iranian citizens accused of conspiracy to illegally procure and export U.S. computer equipment to Iran. Interestingly, the Iranians submitted forged documentation, according to which the equipment, which can be used for both military and civilian purposes, would be exported to Slovenia, but in reality, it ended up in the Middle East, where, according to the US authorities, it poses a potential threat to stability and security in the region.
We asked a long-term legal expert and former judge at the European Court of Human Rights, Dr. Boštjan M. Zupančič, for his opinion on the indictment. In the past, he cooperated with the American legal authorities, when Ljubljanska banka, the predecessor of Nova Ljubljanska banka, found itself in the role of the accused. Zupančič noted that the case was before a 25-member grand jury, which decided on the indictment. “This is now final and will be followed by a trial before a 12-member jury, which will decide whether the Iranians are guilty or not“.
The United States remember the shameful erasure of traces in the Irangate affair by the former left-wing governments
Given that the accused Iranian nationals, 42-year-old Ebrahim Azadegan and 45-year-old Alireza Avandi, have not been arrested and are still moving freely, “the US authorities will do everything in their power to capture them. The process will, in the meantime, take place without their participation.” The accused face up to a total of 190 years in prison, which indicates that this is a new international scandal, which includes Slovenia. The United States remembers very well the erasure of traces in the infamous Irangate affair and how the former left-wing governments, with the help of their influential friends in the Slovenian judiciary and police, swept the Irangate affair under the carpet.
This could all change shortly with the publication of a report on the review of closed cases of the National Investigation Office (NPU). As reported by Požareport and Nova24TV, according to unofficial data, Sova is supposed to file criminal charges against former leaders in the NLB, the Bank of Slovenia and the Office for the Prevention of Money Laundering.
Legal expert Zupančič emphasizes that, as the indictment reveals, Slovenia is mentioned. In his opinion, Slovenia already has one bad domestic experience when it found itself in the middle of the Irangate affair. “In this affair, as is well known, Nova Ljubljanska banka laundered $1 billion for the Iranian authorities through an Iranian citizen. The money was laundered through a bank that is now on the American list of organizations that are supposed to finance terrorism.”
Anže Logar, who discovered the Irangate affair, will play a decisive role in the future in the process of procurement of computer equipment
The proceedings before the 12-member jury will reveal details, “also about the involvement of the NLB and its leading personnel, about the possible involvement of Slovenian politicians, and about the unresponsiveness of the NPU,” the former constitutional judge observes. In the past, representatives of the left-wing governments have not exactly excel in cooperation with the US authorities. In addition to the Irangate affair, the non-extradition of the King of stereoids Michael Karner to the US authorities is very well known. With the help of the Municipality of Ljubljana, he is now happily building luxury real estate in the Vič area of Ljubljana.
There is no such fear this time. The current Foreign Minister dr. Anže Logar in the role of the chairman of the parliamentary commission in his last mandate, investigated the Slovenian banking hole and the Irangate affair in detail. The report on the Irangate affair was also shared with the US federal authorities.
Zupančič also draws attention to cooperation between the USA and Slovenia. Due to the role of the Republic of Slovenia in this indictment, the US State Department will demand an active cooperation of the Slovenian Foreign Secretary and other state bodies. “Slovenia will have to disclose persons and organisations (accomplices) that could be involved in the procurement of computer equipment and the possibility of money laundering,” says Zupančič.
At the same time, he does not rule out that the process could reveal that individuals from Slovenia are involved in the case. Whether this is a new Irangate investigative affair will be known after the trial begins in the United States. However, even this time, the mainstream media controlled by the left are still silent, but their silence speaks louder than words.