British Court Freed Iranian Suspect : Man Held in Smuggling Inquiry Out on $150,000 Bail

A central figure in a smuggling ring that sold sophisticated aircraft parts to Iran has been freed by British officials after posting bail.

Saeid Asefi Inanlou, identified in a federal affidavit as an Iranian national living in London, was freed Friday after posting about $150,000 bail. Inanlou, who allegedly received the stolen parts from a San Diego-based ring and forwarded them to Iran, was freed the same day that a U.S. magistrate in San Diego ordered another suspect in the case held without bail.

U.S. officials said last week that efforts were under way to extradite Inanlou to San Diego. But the extradition proceedings encountered a hitch when British officials asked the U.S. State Department for more information about Inanlou’s involvement in the smuggling operation. Assistant U.S. Atty. Phillip Halpern was working on a reply to the British request when the Iranian was freed.

According to British court documents, Inanlou was arrested at Heathrow Airport on July 12, hours before four other suspects in the case were arrested in San Diego and New York. Inanlou, who was identified in British court papers as Salid Asefi, was brought before the Uxbridge Magistrate’s Court the following day and ordered held without bail pending an initial investigation.

He then was charged with attempted evasion of a 1981 exports control order that pertains to military equipment. A court document states only that he was attempting to ship “a quantity of aircraft parts.” He appeared before the Uxbridge court again Friday and was freed after posting the equivalent of $150,000 bail. Inanlou is scheduled to return to court Sept. 13.

An official familiar with the case said that U.S. authorities were hoping that Inanlou could be persuaded to cooperate with federal investigators. The official said that the FBI had sent three agents to London to question Inanlou. However, the agents returned without a commitment from the Iranian.

“Basically, the offer was that if he testified against the others, the U.S. would not prosecute him and let him return to Iran,” the official said.

Another source said that U.S. intentions went beyond simply wanting to see the ring members convicted. This source said that federal officials were hoping that, with information obtained from Inanlou, they would be better able to assess the severity of Iran’s shortage of parts for its U.S.-built jet fighters and learn how the Iranians were able to penetrate the Navy’s supply system.

It was not clear Tuesday if Inanlou was still in England. However, an attorney familiar with the case said that prosecutors will still be able to try the suspects arrested in the United States even if Inanlou jumps bail.

“This case isn’t going to fold if the Iranian jumps (bail). Not with the evidence that the U.S. attorney has in this case,” the attorney said.

Meanwhile, an investigator told The Times that 10 more suspects may be arrested in coming days, and that they will include sailors and civilian employees of the Navy.

Prosecutor Halpern could not be reached for comment on Inanlou’s release. Halpern has declined to comment on Inanlou throughout the case, citing British law and saying that any comments from him might jeopardize efforts to extradite Inanlou.

U.S. Atty. Peter K. Nunez also refused to comment on Inanlou’s release except to say that “it’s up to a British judge to decide the conditions of release.” He emphasized that currently the Iranian is charged only with violating British export laws.

Nunez said that, to the best of his knowledge, Inanlou is still in England.

The Iranian was freed on the same day that Primitivo B. Cayabyab, a 17-year Navy veteran, was ordered held without bail by U.S. Magistrate Roger C. McKee. Cayabyab is an aviation storekeeper on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. On Thursday, McKee, a retired Navy captain, ordered three other suspects held without bail. They include alleged ringleader Franklin P. Agustin, 47; his wife, Julie, 46, and Pedro M. Quito, 60, a retired Navy man.

Two other suspects have been jailed in other states. Agustin’s brother, Edgardo, 45, is being held without bail in New York. Antonio G. Rodriguez, a 16-year Navy veteran, was arrested by federal agents in Bangor, Wash., on Sunday. Rodriguez, 38, is an aviation storekeeper on the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood. He is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing Friday in Seattle, where federal prosecutors are expected to argue for his removal to San Diego to face charges and detention without bail.

Times staff writer Tyler Marshall in London contributed to this report.