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Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Michael J. Garcia announced today that the Commerce Department's Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) has renewed the order temporarily denying all U.S. export privileges of Infocom Corporation, Inc. (Infocom), of Richardson, Texas. Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Lisa A. Prager renewed the denial order for an additional 180 days on March 4, based on her finding that public interest necessitated the renewal to prevent an imminent violation of U.S. export control regulations.
BXA initially issued a temporary denial order against Infocom and related persons based on evidence that, between 1997 and 2000, Infocom had exported computers and related equipment to Libya and Syria (both designated as state sponsors of terrorism) in violation of U.S. export control laws, and had attempted to conceal those shipments.
The renewal of the denial order also added certain related persons and entities that are subject to the terms of the order, including Abdulah Al Nasser, Maysoon Al Kayali, and Mynet.net Corp., all of Richardson, Texas. In addition, two persons formerly subject to the denial order as persons related to Infocom - Ihsan Elashi and his firm, Tetrabal Corp., Inc., both also of Richardson, Texas - now are named as denied persons in their own right. Infocom corporate officers that continue to be subject to the temporary denial order include its Chief Executive Officer, Bayan Medhat Elashi, and its Vice President, Ghassan Elashi. Other persons related to Infocom and named in the order are Basam Medhat Elashi, Hazim Elashi, and Fadwa Elafrangi.
The Department of Commerce became aware of the shipments to Libya and Syria by Infocom as a result of an investigation conducted by the North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes representatives from BXA's Office of Export Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Customs Service, and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Dallas, Texas.
BXA administers and enforces controls on exports for reasons of national security, foreign policy, antiterrorism, and nonproliferation. The U.S. government maintains a comprehensive economic sanctions program against Libya, which prohibits virtually all commercial transactions involving U.S. origin-goods or U.S. persons, unless specifically authorized. In addition, the U.S. government maintains stringent export controls on a wide range of goods and technologies to Syria for antiterrorism purposes.