Another arrest made in Palestinian gun deal

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A day after a Palestinian national was arrested in South Florida for allegedly trying to buy hundreds of stolen weapons, federal authorities have made another arrest.

On Tuesday morning, Yanny Aguila Urbay, 24, of Hialeah was officially charged with one count of conspiracy to possess stolen firearms, including, M-16s, AK-47s and silencers.

Just, a day earlier, Abdalaziz Aziz Hamayel, a Palestinian national with deep ties to the West Bank, was arrested and accused of trying to buy a large amount of weapons. According to a criminal complaint against Hamayel, the suspect attempted to purchase 300 weapons, which he knew were stolen, and the weapons were headed to "his people."

According to this newly released criminal complaint against Urbay, "Urbay elicted the help of a confidential source for the purpose of procuring and purchasing weapons and explosives."

All this comes about a week after a meeting between President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss peace in the Middle East, mainly in the West Bank, where the terrorist group Hamas recently killed two Israeli civilians.

The criminal complaint released against Hamayel, read in part, "Hamayel contacted the confidential source to discuss the weapons and explosives he was requesting for purchase ... Hamayel specifically requested a quantity of 300 M-16 rifles, 9 mm handguns, UZI sub-machine guns, silencers and grenades."

Hamayel was also interested in buying remote detonation devices, like a cell phone detonator. According to federal investigators, the intended destination of these weapons was outside the United States. "Hamayel explained that a family friend ... from the same village in the West Bank would provide the necessary funds for the purchase of the weapons and explosives," the complaint read.

The criminal complaint also said Hamayel has a family friend from his village in the West Bank who lives in Miami. Hamayel's associate informed an undercover investigator that he believed the person who was going to purchase the weapons for Hamayel lives in Coral Gables.

Investigators have been on the case for over a year. On Aug. 29, federal agents busted Hamayel in the US when he boarded a flight that had originated in Amman, Jordan, made its way through Chicago and landed in Miami.

Hamayel was taken into custody when he arrived at Miami International Airport, and Hamayel was never able to purchase the weapons.

Authorities are still continuing their investigation, looking into where the money is coming from and why these people are coming to South Florida.

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