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Middle Eastern man indicted for trying to smuggle Iraqis, Ecuadorans

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Middle Eastern man indicted in Washington, D.C., for attempting to smuggle Iraqis into the U.S. from South America appeared in a federal court in Houston Tuesday, and agreed not to fight a transfer to the nation's capital to face charges.

Authorities said federal marshals will fly Maher Wazzen Ahmed Yusof Jarad, who claims to be Palestinian, from Texas to Washington later this week to face a charge of smuggling international citizens.

Government officials said the alleged smuggling scheme is apparently unrelated to terrorism. The indictment says Ecuadorans were also among the migrants being smuggled.

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Jarad is charged with trying to smuggle the aliens aboard the Ecuadorian vessel "Esperanza" to Guatemala, and then on to the U.S.

U.S. officials say the smugglers planned to transport the aliens to the U.S. from Guatemala.

But U.S. officials apparently watching the smuggling operation told Ecuadoran authorities that the 65-foot vessel which had left that nation's port was so unfit for travel the five man crew and the migrants were in danger, and that several migrants were already seriously ill. Ecuadoran authorities ordered the ship to return to shore.

Justice Department officials said the indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Washington last Thursday. Jarad was arrested by INS agents Saturday after arriving in Texas.