Iraqi murder suspect charged in Kansas following gun purchases

? An Iraqi citizen wanted for murder in Iraq was charged with making false statements on federal forms when he purchased two handguns at a Wichita pawn shop, U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren said Wednesday.

Mohammed Ziboon, 26, was wanted on a warrant for the murder of his cousin, Ameer Mahdy Jalowb, by the Iraq Higher Judicial Council Magistrate Court, according to an affidavit filed by Wesley Williamson, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Ziboon, also known as Mohammed Saad Zeboon Hassan Alagabi, denied killing his cousin during a videotaped interview with ATF agents, the affidavit said.

Melgren said in a news release that Ziboon came to the attention of federal officials when ATF agents examined pawnshop records showing he had purchased two .45 caliber handguns within a two-week period.

While inspecting records from Mr. Pawn pawnshop in Wichita, agents noticed Ziboon had bought two guns, falsely stating that he was a U.S. citizen on the forms and falsely stating he was not under indictment in any court, according to court records.

Ziboon was charged Tuesday with two counts of making false statements to purchase a firearm. He told ATF agents who came to the Mars Mart convenience store a day earlier that he was a part-owner of the store, and that two guns found there were for protection.

He also told investigators during a subsequent interview at the ATF field office after his arrest that the first gun he purchased was returned to the pawnshop in exchange for the second gun. He claimed the store manager, Raheem Al Shemer, asked him to purchase the gun and paid him for it.

During that interview he said the owner of the store, Hussein Al Ganen, is his sister’s husband and that the couple is now in Syria visiting family until September.

Ziboon also told agents he immigrated to the United States on Jan. 10, 2003, and that he was last in Iraq from January to May last year.

The interview with ATF was ended when Ziboon asked for an attorney after agents began questioning him about the arrest warrant for murder, according to the affidavit.