My only crime is greed, says Lakhani

British businessman of Indian origin Hemant Lakhani, held on charges of smuggling missile to US, is doubtful about 'informant's' legitimacy.

British businessman of Indian origin Hemant Lakhani, who was arrested on charges of trying to smuggle a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile into the US, has expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the "informant" who led to his arrest and said his only crime was greed.

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After a year in custody, Lakhani, 69, has broken his silence about his arrest on terrorist offences, the FBI sting that exposed his alleged arms dealing, and his doubts about the legitimacy of the informant who led the secret services of America, Russia and Britain to his door.

"They say I am a terrorist who wanted to shoot down a passenger plane. But there was never any missiles," Lakhani was quoted as saying by the London newspaper Daily Telegraph.

Lakhani, who will appear in court on November 3, faces up to 15 years in jail for "providing material support to terrorists," and a 10 year term for trying to supply a surface-to-air missile.

Painting himself not as a threat, but as a greedy businessman unable to say no to the one man he thought could help seal his refinery deal, Lakhani says it was only weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001 that he unwittingly spoke to an FBI informant.

He claims that he was working as a consultant for a company seeking backing for an Indian oil refinery project, work which would have earned him five mllion pounds, the daily reported.