Haitham Al-Dulaimi, Export and Firearms Violations, Kentucky 2024

HAITHAM AL-DULAIMI, HAIDER LAZEM, HASAN WASAK, AND ABDULLAH ALSAJEE, all of Louisville, Kentucky, are in hot water. The four men were arrested today, February 6, 2024, pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment.

According to the indictment, from February 2023 through September 2024, Al-Dulaimi, Lazem, Wasak, and Alsajee conspired to export firearms, including Glocks, Rugers, Sig Sauers, and Smith & Wessons, from the United States to Iraq, without obtaining the required export licenses.

The indictment alleges that Wasak, Alsajee, and Lazem procured firearms from federal firearm licensees and at gun shows in the Louisville area, then delivered the firearms to Al-Dulaimi, who arranged them for the export to Iraq.

Thirty-eight firearms were detained by law enforcement from a shipment sent by Al-Dulaimi intended for Iraq.

Haitham Al-Dulaimi, 30, Haider Lazem, 41, Hasan Wasak, 27, and Abdullah Alsajee, 30, all face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and five years in prison for the conspiracy charge.

Lazem, Alsajee, and Wasak also face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for false statements during the purchase of a firearm.

Al-Dulaimi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for smuggling and five years in prison for dealing in firearms without a license.

If convicted, the defendants will face the consequences of their actions, with a federal district court judge determining any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being investigated by the ATF, HSI, and FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Leslie C. Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuting the case.