The 2004 federal anti-terrorism legislation to fight crimes or incidents involving terrorist acts has been used for the first time. The statute calls for mandatory minimum sentences of 25 years and possible life in prison if convicted. Two US naturalized Chinese citizens, Chao Taung Wu and Yi Qing Chen, from southern California were indicted for conspiracy to smuggle surface-to-air missiles, which are designed to bring down aircraft.

The US Attorney?s office, which has been leading so-called ?Operation Smoking Dragon,? led to the arrest of the two men in August as a result of an undercover operation, targeting smuggling operations. The defendants were indicted on drugs and cigarettes smuggling. Wu was also charged with bringing Ecstasy into the US. The weapons charge was recently added. A federal grand jury heard testimony last week to the indictment that included $2 million in bribes that were to be paid to an unidentified foreign official. It will be interesting to see if a country is named in the prosecution of Wu and Chen.