US charges Irish firm, officers over sales to Iran

An Irish trading company and three of its officers have been charged with sending helicopter engines and other aircraft parts to Iran.

A 25-count indictment unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Washington charges the Mac Aviation Group and three men of buying the components from U.S. companies and sending them to Iran through companies in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Justice Department says the recipients included an Iranian military firm that the United States alleges is involved in an Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program.

Justice Department officials are seeking the arrest and deportation of the three Irishmen: company owner Tom McGuinn, his son Sean McGuinn, who is the sales director, and commercial manager Sean Byrne. The company's address was given as Cloonrnull House, Drumcliffe, County Sligo, Ireland.