Street Trash (1987) Revisited – Horror Movie Review

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

The Revisited series looks back at the 1987 horror comedy Street Trash, a story of bad booze and slimy meltdowns

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I mention a lot in these video essays about remakes and how they sometimes work but often times don’t. One of the biggest issues I have is that many of the remakes we get are really not needed. I like them but did we really need an updated version of Friday the 13th, Halloween, or Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Of course not, these are classics for a reason. Those are just the ones that work too, there’s plenty like Jacob’s Ladder, Nightmare on Elm Street, or Poltergeist that run the gamut from boring as hell to offensively bad. Well, in 2024 I’m kind of getting my wish. While something like Fade to Black could get a wonderful update 44 years later and be able to say something new and different, I’m curious what a Street Trash remake will bring to the table. The original is one that was a 42nd Street staple and as gross and straightforward as the title suggests. It’s shockingly competently made with a lot of fun to be had and it’s time to get a revisit of its own.

Street Trash is one of those movies that I saw black and white photos of in horror reference books. For the longest time, I thought it was a Troma movie and while it sure as hell shares a lot of what that studio offers, it was a one-off production of Lightning Pictures, which would eventually be absorbed by the infamous Vestron. Back when I was fresh out of high school but still working at Blockbuster, I didn’t have a lot to spend my money on. Thankfully there was a store on Beach Blvd in Huntington Beach called DVD Planet. The website still exists but this was like finding a lost city. Just aisles and aisles of DVD and maybe some early Blu-ray and HD-DVD if you remember that short lived platform. I picked up movies sight unseen all the time from foreign classics that id only heard about to stuff that Blockbuster wouldn’t carry. I bought Salo and Cannibal Holocaust as my exposure to those and then one day I saw the 2005 Synapse release of Street Trash and the memories of those pictures came flooding back.

I bought it and went immediately home to watch it. It was pretty much exactly what I thought it would be and simultaneously like nothing I’d ever seen before. Even though I kept the DVD I’d bought, I didn’t watch it again for almost 15 years when Joe Bob Briggs hosted it on The Last Drive In. It still holds up. It’s vile, low budget, dumb as hell but also shot nicely with some really cool takes, has fantastic gore effects, and its stupidity makes it infinitely watchable when you just want to turn your brain off. Like the movies of Frank Henenlotter where this would fit nicely in a movie marathon with, many of the actors are only known for this. In fact, if you look on their imdb pages, their pictures are just stills from this frickin movie. That being said, the performances of Bill the cop looking to solve the murders and the delightfully unhinged homeless veteran that owns a scrap heap as his kingdom named Bronson are delightful. Bill Chepil, who plays the cop was an actual police officer before and Vic Noto who plays Bronson was hired 12 hours before shooting began and claims he never read the script. It’s a cool story that I’m actually half inclined to believe.

The main star of the story is Tenafly Viper, the old wine that a liquor store owner finds in a crate buried in the wall and decides to sell it to his homeless vagrants for a buck. The wine has gone bad, REAL bad, and when people start drinking it, they melt or explode or both! The writer of the movie made a short film first which was a lot smaller, we will get to the added plot points aplenty later and was able to get it made into a feature later. This writer named Roy Frumkes is also famous for doing a famous horror documentary called Document of the Dead that follows Romero’s first two Dead films. He did some other stuff too like being an executive producer on the remake and as an actor in this movie as a businessman who suffers from melt collateral damage.

The director of the movie who was also the lead camera guy is named J. Michael Muro, and that name may not jump out to you, but you’ve seen his work. Not as a director probably, though he did do a lot of TV work after this, but no, the dude is a legend behind the camera. A regular surgeon with it. Specifically, as a steady cam operator, director of photography, and cinematographer. His list includes Horizon: An American Saga from this year, Heat, Casino, and Jason Takes Manhattan. These two men combined made a hell of a trashy picture and it is also purportedly based on the writer watching Dodeskaden, ya know, a Kurosawa movie, which is about as far from Street Trash as it gets.

The movie does technically have a story, or multiple stories actually. You have the inciting incident with the liquor store getting the Viper drink and one of our two main homeless guys getting ahold of it. You have the main star of the show with the Viper itself turning the homeless population into melty goo, the cop who is assuming these deaths are murders and investigating, the mob boss’s girlfriend getting attacked and consequences from his group, the auto yard hosting the junkyard, and the aforementioned Vietnam vet slum lord psychopath who rules with a femur hammer. The movie doesn’t really have a story which tracks as it came from a short film and its really a series of short vignettes that are loosely connected by a few characters and geography. Does that matter? Not at all because the movie has charm.

Some of the shots are deliriously fun like when Bronson pulls a poor guy out of a car and swings him onto his own trunk, and we see a cool shot from his or at least his glasses point of view. Another fun early shot is when the main homeless guy enters the liquor store, and it switches to a fast-moving camera of his excitement. There’s an all-out brawl between Bronson and the cop that is outrageous and fun in a similar way that the They Live fight is. The acting isn’t good or even acting for the most part and the only actor that I’ve even seen anywhere else is the owner of the junkyard who also happens to be the slimy mayor from The Toxic Avenger. See, it’s all coming around. While the movie doesn’t have a lot of information on it online, there’s a wealth of info and behind the scenes stuff on the DVD release including Meltdown Memoirs which is a documentary by the same creator as the movie.

Fred, who is about as much of a protagonist as we are going to get, almost dies from Viper intake multiple times until he figures out what exactly it is and actually weaponizes it. The near misses don’t really create any tension but instead act almost like slapstick or even silent movie gags. My favorite part of the movie is the fact that the Viper concoction doesn’t kill anyone the same way twice. It melts some, implodes others, and one bum even explodes after drinking it. You’d think that the main villain of the movie Bronson would go out using Viper, but he doesn’t. the Viper itself could have ended up being an end of the world type drink that had commentary on New York in the mid 80s and used to clean it up but its made more of a side story with how ridiculous and over the top the Bronson junkyard angle is.

The music, sound effects, visual effects, and direction/camera work more than make up for what Street Trash lacks. Its elevated above shot on video stuff like Things or Sledgehammer and I would argue its better made than a lot of Troma stuff that seems to be shoveled out in the same vein as Roger Corman movies. It wasn’t a big studio movie or even one that got lost with a dozen other releases in the same year as it might have with a Full Moon. It played in midnight shows and across the grimy theaters of LA and New York but doesn’t have the same popularity as a Basket Case or Toxic Avenger. Those that have seen it are big fans and without a big release from Scream Factory, Vinegar Syndrome, or Severin Films, it remains somewhat obscure. Even With the Joebob episode shining a light on it, that has been lost in the shuffle with The Last Drive In having over 100 episodes.

The tone is always consistently silly, but some scenes jump out. How can a Vietnam flashback and exploding winos be in the same movie as gassy and fart noises, a love story between a homeless guy and a shop worker, and a murder case. They can’t and shouldn’t be, but it works. Everything culminates when a couple of the story lines, and I use that term very loosely, come together with Freds brother Kevin and Wendy being chased by Bronson for….reasons. Bronson has become a full-blown slasher villain now using a bone from the cop as his new weapon. Remember when I said that Bronson doesn’t meet his end via Viper? That’s because the brothers use an air canister to decapitate him like he’s a final boss at the end of a resident evil game.

I know this review has been all over the place and that’s ok, so is the movie. There really is no coherent plot to break down or even follow. You aren’t watching Street Trash for the story. You are watching and rewatching it because its absurd and fun and dumb. Its gore was more popular overseas, but it’s found its niche and is a pass along title that those who have seen get to initiate others into the club. I don’t care if the new movie has a more coherent story or if it wants to say something important. I just hope it has fun and tries to out do the gore of the original movie. It doesn’t matter if its bad or good though because the original will always hold a special place in horror fans hearts.

Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!

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Edinburgh to introduce tourist tax for overnight stays

Travel

Hotels, short-term lets and campsites in Edinburgh will start charging a visitor levy on all overnight stays in May, in a phased introduction to the scheme.The levy, the first mandatory city-wide scheme in the UK, will be payable on all stays from July next year that are booked from 1 May onwards.The charge, described as a tourist tax, is expected to raise up to £50m a year to tackle the heavy impact of mass tourism on the city, by investing in new social housing, public parks, tourism facilities and arts and cultural events.City officials recommended the long lead-in time to ensure visitors know at an early stage that they will pay the 5% plus VAT surcharge on all stays from 24 July 2026, and hotels and booking portals advertise the charge properly in advance.Councillors are expected to finally vote through the scheme on Friday, more than six years after the city formally began work on it.Jane Meagher, the council leader, said: “This is the moment we have been working towards, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sustain and enhance Edinburgh’s position as one of the most beautiful, enjoyable destinations in the world.“The funding could provide Edinburgh with the biggest single injection of new funding this side of the millennium.”Smaller-scale and voluntary visitor levies, which do not involve all types of accommodation provider, are in force in several English cities, including Manchester and Liverpool.Manchester’s scheme, which involves a £1 a night surcharge on rooms in 74 hotels and serviced apartments in its city centre business investment district, and part of Salford, raised £2.8m in its first year.Edinburgh’s scheme is the first to cover every kind of accommodation, from campsites and hostels through to Airbnb properties, aparthotels and hotels, using Scotland-wide legislation that came into force last year. At least 4,000 providers will be affected.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionThe Welsh government is following the Scottish parliament’s lead by tabling new powers for councils to levy a visitor charge, expected to be a fixed fee of 75p per night for campsites and hostels, and £1.25 for all other accommodation.A survey by the Guardian in November found that nearly half of Scotland’s 32 councils are either investigating a visitor levy or are considering it, including Highland council, which has wrestled with a surge in overtourism at hotspots on Skye, as well as Orkney and Shetland councils.The traveller’s guide Fodor’s blacklisted the North Coast 500 driving circuit, which takes motorists on a 516-mile circular route up the west coast and through the Highlands, due to its “untenable popularity”.Campaigners in the Lake District have also called for a visitor levy, to help meet the costs of catering for 18 million visitors a year.The Edinburgh scheme has been revised slightly after a consultation with businesses, residents, tourists and cultural organisations, which found continuing resistance from many businesses and visitors, particularly to the proposed rate of 5%. Some argued it should be lower or a fixed rate.The levy will only be applied to the first five days of any stay, rather than seven days as originally planned, after lobbying from the city’s festivals, which argued that it penalised the thousands of people who have seasonal jobs in the events.The council will be issuing guidance to all the businesses affected by the levy telling them the fee can be collected in cash or by card, after a visitor in Manchester alleged she had been kicked out of a hotel because she would only pay its visitor levy in cash.

Edinburgh to introduce tourist tax for overnight stays

Travel

Hotels, short-term lets and campsites in Edinburgh will start charging a visitor levy on all overnight stays in May, in a phased introduction to the scheme.The levy, the first mandatory city-wide scheme in the UK, will be payable on all stays from July next year that are booked from 1 May onwards.The charge, described as a tourist tax, is expected to raise up to £50m a year to tackle the heavy impact of mass tourism on the city, by investing in new social housing, public parks, tourism facilities and arts and cultural events.City officials recommended the long lead-in time to ensure visitors know at an early stage that they will pay the 5% plus VAT surcharge on all stays from 24 July 2026, and hotels and booking portals advertise the charge properly in advance.Councillors are expected to finally vote through the scheme on Friday, more than six years after the city formally began work on it.Jane Meagher, the council leader, said: “This is the moment we have been working towards, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sustain and enhance Edinburgh’s position as one of the most beautiful, enjoyable destinations in the world.“The funding could provide Edinburgh with the biggest single injection of new funding this side of the millennium.”Smaller-scale and voluntary visitor levies, which do not involve all types of accommodation provider, are in force in several English cities, including Manchester and Liverpool.Manchester’s scheme, which involves a £1 a night surcharge on rooms in 74 hotels and serviced apartments in its city centre business investment district, and part of Salford, raised £2.8m in its first year.Edinburgh’s scheme is the first to cover every kind of accommodation, from campsites and hostels through to Airbnb properties, aparthotels and hotels, using Scotland-wide legislation that came into force last year. At least 4,000 providers will be affected.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionThe Welsh government is following the Scottish parliament’s lead by tabling new powers for councils to levy a visitor charge, expected to be a fixed fee of 75p per night for campsites and hostels, and £1.25 for all other accommodation.A survey by the Guardian in November found that nearly half of Scotland’s 32 councils are either investigating a visitor levy or are considering it, including Highland council, which has wrestled with a surge in overtourism at hotspots on Skye, as well as Orkney and Shetland councils.The traveller’s guide Fodor’s blacklisted the North Coast 500 driving circuit, which takes motorists on a 516-mile circular route up the west coast and through the Highlands, due to its “untenable popularity”.Campaigners in the Lake District have also called for a visitor levy, to help meet the costs of catering for 18 million visitors a year.The Edinburgh scheme has been revised slightly after a consultation with businesses, residents, tourists and cultural organisations, which found continuing resistance from many businesses and visitors, particularly to the proposed rate of 5%. Some argued it should be lower or a fixed rate.The levy will only be applied to the first five days of any stay, rather than seven days as originally planned, after lobbying from the city’s festivals, which argued that it penalised the thousands of people who have seasonal jobs in the events.The council will be issuing guidance to all the businesses affected by the levy telling them the fee can be collected in cash or by card, after a visitor in Manchester alleged she had been kicked out of a hotel because she would only pay its visitor levy in cash.

‘Universal Language,’ ’40 Acres’ among TIFF’s picks for best Canadian films of 2024

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

TORONTO — An absurdist dramedy about an alternate-universe Winnipeg and a dystopian thriller about a famine-ravaged world are among the Toronto International Film Festival’s picks for best Canadian films of 2024.
TIFF’s annual Canada’s Top Ten list includes Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language,” the Winnipeg director’s cross-cultural odyssey that imagines a Canada where the two official languages are Persian and French. The film is also Canada’s official entry for best international feature film at this year’s Oscars.
Making the cut as well is R.T. Thorne’s “40 Acres,” the Toronto director’s debut film about an ex-military matriarch who protects her family in a future where food is scarce.
Another first-time filmmaker on the list is Ottawa’s Kaniehtiio Horn, who stars in her home-invasion comedy “Seeds” as a young Mohawk influencer trying to stop criminals from stealing her family’s crops.
Among other selections are Toronto macabre master David Cronenberg’s metaphysical horror “The Shrouds,” Quebec filmmaker Sophie Deraspe’s existential sheep-herding drama “Shepherds,” and the surrealist political comedy “Rumours,” by Winnipeg auteurs Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson.
The selected films will play at TIFF Lightbox from Feb. 5 to 9.
TIFF says this year’s list was curated by its programmers in consultation with various festival programmers across Canada.
One documentary made the list: “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story,” a film about the pioneering Black transgender soul singer by Edmonton’s Michael Mabbott and Toronto’s Lucah Rosenberg-Lee.
Other features that secured spots are: “Paying For It” by Sook-Yin Lee, “Matt and Mara” by Kazik Radwanski, and “Can I Get a Witness?” by Ann Marie Fleming.
An opening ceremony Feb. 5 will announce the winner of the inaugural Charles Officer Legacy Award, presented by TIFF and CBC. The award honours a Black Canadian director or writer whose work showcases creative excellence, a strong point of view, and a commitment to community.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2025.

Meet the two Iranian scientists held in US, Italy in FBI-staged ‘hostage-taking’ plot

Science and Health

By Ivan Kesic

Two Iranian scientists have been imprisoned for three weeks—one in the United States and the other in Italy—on baseless charges, reflecting a long-standing US policy of holding Iranian nationals hostage for political reasons.

On the evening of December 16, Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an engineer and entrepreneur shuttling his time between Iran and Switzerland, was arrested at Malpensa Airport by Italian authorities after arriving by flight from Istanbul.

Around the same time, in Massachusetts, US authorities arrested Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, an engineer employed at an American semiconductor company.

The two arrests are reportedly linked to the same case, which is based on unsubstantiated allegations of violating US export laws and providing Iran with the technology used in a drone attack in Jordan last year that killed three American soldiers and wounded 47 others.

Both men are falsely accused of setting up companies in Switzerland and the US to funnel advanced American equipment toward enhancing navigation systems for the Iranian military.

They have denied all charges, pleading not guilty, while officials in Tehran have also vehemently condemned their politically-motivated detentions in the US and Italy.

Iran’s foreign ministry has summoned the Italian and Swiss ambassadors in protest in recent days, warning that Italy risks damaging bilateral relations by aligning itself with the “political and hostile goals” of the US.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, during his weekly briefing on Monday, said the detention of an Iranian national in Italy at Washington’s request amounts to hostage-taking.

“We regard the pursuit or extradition of Iranian nationals in certain countries as a form of hostage-taking,” Baghaei said. “The main accusation against them is circumvention of unilateral US sanctions. Fabricating a judicial cover to trap Iranian nationals is illegal, immoral and a violation of human rights.”

Who is Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi?

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, 42, is a dual Iranian-American citizen residing in Natick, Massachusetts, with a distinguished career as an electrical engineer.

Born in Iran, Sadeghi began his academic journey at the University of Tehran, where he earned both a bachelor’s (BSc) and a master’s degree (MSc) in electrical and electronics engineering.

During his time in Iran, Sadeghi developed a groundbreaking method for anisotropic etching of polymers, offering an innovative alternative for micromachining.

His research extended to carbon nanotube (CNT) growth techniques and a pioneering nano-lithography approach using CNTs.

Seeking to further his education, Sadeghi moved to the United States, where he obtained a master’s degree (MA) in economics and a PhD in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Michigan.

From 2008 to 2013, he worked as a graduate research assistant, delving into micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).

His focus included a new class of biomimetic MEMS devices inspired by hair-like micro-hydraulic systems, advancing high-performance sensing and actuation technologies.

As a Research Fellow at the University of Michigan between 2014 and 2015, Sadeghi led two major projects: one on 3D inertial sensors and the other on flow sensors for micro-air vehicle (MAV) navigation. He managed project milestones, facilitated collaboration with institutions and industry partners, and showcased live demonstrations of his devices in action.

In 2016, Sadeghi founded Tacit Motion Inc., a Greater Boston-based company specializing in wearable sensor networks for kinetic monitoring and personal training.

For three years, he steered the company toward innovation and success with great results.

Following this entrepreneurial venture, Sadeghi joined Analog Devices, a global leader in semiconductor technology headquartered in Wilmington.

Initially working as a product application engineer, he later transitioned to the role of product marketing manager. There, he continued his cutting-edge research into MEMS design, fabrication, and validation, excelling in transforming concepts into fully functional devices and standalone systems.

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi

Who is Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi?

Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, born in Qom in 1986, enjoys the distinction of being a prominent academic in mechanical engineering and a thriving entrepreneur.

His academic journey began at the prestigious Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, where his exceptional academic performance earned him recognition as one of the top students.

Abedini joined the Mechanical Engineering Department of Sharif University in 2003, graduating with an impressive GPA of 18.73 (out of 20) in 2007.

During his undergraduate years, his achievements earned him several awards. Continuing his academic pursuits, he enrolled in the university’s master’s program, where he submitted a well-received thesis titled “State Changes in Dynamic Systems.”

While pursuing his master’s, Abedini demonstrated his engineering prowess by designing and building a two-seater electric car, which secured a notable position in a national competition.

He later advanced to the PhD program, successfully defending his thesis, “Efficiency of Optimal Control Systems,” in 2014.

Throughout his academic career, Abedini contributed significantly to various university labs, including robotics, control, and electronic design laboratories, and authored several scientific articles.

Post-PhD, he went to Switzerland for professional training at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). At EPFL, he engaged in groundbreaking research projects, particularly in mapping and terrain analysis, gaining invaluable expertise.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, Abedini is a seasoned entrepreneur.

In 2010, he founded and officially registered the Iranian company Sanat Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak (SDRA) in 2011. SDRA specializes in precision measurement equipment, offering services in consulting, designing, manufacturing, and supplying data acquisition, online monitoring, instrumentation, motion tracking, and navigation systems.

In 2019, while in Switzerland, he established Illumove SA, a Lausanne-based company focused on fusion-based navigation solutions for cutting-edge applications, including the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous driving, and remote sensing.

Operating under Swiss governmental oversight, Illumove SA ensures full transparency, with its management, ownership structure, and trading network publicly accessible online.

Abedini’s dynamic career seamlessly bridges academia and industry, underscoring his profound impact in both fields.

Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi

Myth of a ‘top secret system’

The full texts of the US District Court’s indictment, signed by prosecutors Jared Dolan and Christina Clark, and the accompanying FBI affidavit, authored by Special Agent Ronald Neal, wrongly claim that the Sepehr navigation system developed by SDRA is a top-secret technology.

They claim that the international careers and companies of Najafabadi and Sadeghi exist solely to offer services to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

In reality, SDRA operates as a transparent, export-oriented company, as evidenced by its business expansion into Switzerland and frequent participation in international exhibitions in Iran—facts that American authorities appear to have overlooked.

Between 2015 and 2018, SDRA showcased its products at the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth National Exhibition of Laboratory Equipment and Chemicals (Iran Lab Expo) held at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground.

This annual exhibition, organized by the Tech Export Services Corridor (TESC), is an open platform designed to support Iranian high-tech companies and welcomes international visitors.

At these exhibitions, SDRA displayed a wide array of products for various industries, including traffic management, ecology, aviation, sports, and medicine, with an online catalog available in Persian.

Each product, including the Sepehr navigation system, was presented with comprehensive technical specifications, detailed photographs, and manufacturing details in an online catalog available in Persian.

The listed Sepehr navigation system is no exception (pp 23-24), for which there is also an individual presentation file, where it is stated that it can be used for aircraft and drones, biomechanical and medical engineering research, aerospace research, and calibration.

This contradicts claims of it being classified as military technology, as it is accessible online and presented annually to international audiences.

False accusations of covering up mutual ties

The indictment and FBI affidavit also allege that Abedini and Sadeghi conspiratorially wanted to hide their mutual connections, allegedly exposed by the FBI investigation, i.e. monitoring of “suspicious” trips to Iran and “secret” email exchanges.

This is quite astonishing considering that the very homepage of the website of Abedini’s Swiss company Illumova SA lists Sadeghi’s American company Tacit Motion as one of its partners.

It is evident from online archives that it has been there since 2020, and since last year, Sadeghi’s new employer Analog Devices has been listed among the five partners, and it still stands today.

Abedini’s Swiss company Illumova SA’s website lists Sadeghi’s US company Tacit Motion and employer Analog Devices as its partners, while the indictment claims they were trying to cover up mutual connections

The FBI’s claim that Abedini’s use of a VPN in Iran to communicate with American companies suggests illicit activity is equally puzzling and bizarre.

“VPN services are often used in criminal enterprises to obfuscate the location of a user’s device, and I have reason to believe that SDRA employees, including Abedini, were utilizing VPN services to mask their location while working on the US Company 1 [Analog Devices] project in Iran,” claims the FBI special agent on his report.

VPNs are a necessity for millions of Iranians due to widespread internet restrictions. Notably, Analog Devices’ website (analog.com) blocks Iranian IPs with this explanation: “Access denied under US Export Administration Regulations.”

The FBI’s characterization of “suspicious activities” contradicts the evidence, including Abedini’s documented inquiries to Analog Devices and Swiss airport officials about the legalities of transferring tech samples to Iran.

On one occasion, Abedini transported “sample products” to Iran for educational purposes, with prior approval from Swiss authorities—a transaction the FBI labeled a “likely” sanctions violation.

These facts instead indicate that Abedini acted with commercial transparency, adhering to US, Swiss, and Iranian laws. The same holds true for Sadeghi, whom the affidavit acknowledges recorded business partnerships with Abedini’s companies.

Despite claims of “likely” sanctions violations due to travel, it is curious why neither individual was arrested at the airport with concrete evidence. Instead, both were apprehended based on speculative accusations, further highlighting the shaky foundation of these charges.

False allegations of military ties

Furthermore, the indictment and FBI affidavit claim that Abedini’s Iranian company, SDRA, has conducted business with the IRGC Aerospace Force since 2014. However, they offer no substantive evidence, nor does SDRA’s history or public records suggest such a connection.

The FBI’s so-called “evidence” relies on a purportedly hacked email in which Abedini outlines a business plan, mentioning potential military applications and the armed forces as prospective clients.

In other words, it is merely a theoretical discussion of future possibilities, not proof of any active collaboration. Even if this email were authentic, it would hardly constitute incriminating evidence.

The official US documents further allege that SDRA’s website, between 2016 and 2018, explicitly advertised products for military use—specifically for drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles—and that these references were later scrubbed in 2019.

However, archived versions of SDRA’s website from 2017 reveal a more benign reality: the company merely expressed readiness to collaborate with the military, government, and private sectors.

In the engineering design section, they highlighted their capability to develop navigation systems with potential applications for unmanned surface and underwater vehicles—technological aspirations rather than evidence of concrete military ties.

Notably, in 2017, Iran had no operational unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), further undermining the claim of SDRA’s military involvement.

False claims of link with Jordan attack

The FBI affidavit also attempts to link SDRA’s Sepehr navigation module to a drone attack that killed three American soldiers and injured 47 others in Jordan last year.

It includes side-by-side photos of SDRA’s Sepehr motherboard and one allegedly recovered from the drone wreckage.

The latter is suspiciously well preserved for a piece of fragile hardware, especially considering that the drone’s navigation system is located in its nose, in front of the warhead, which would have been severely damaged only by a kinetic impact, let alone an explosion.

Extremely suspicious FBI “evidence” of identical Sepehr boards from the Tower 22 attack and SDRA company; left one supposedly miraculously survived impact and explosion

Even if the evidence were credible, it would not implicate SDRA. Manufacturers cannot control how their products are used by third parties, nor are they legally obligated to monitor such use.

Multipurpose technologies often find their way into unintended applications, yet this does not amount to a legal violation.

In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian forces have extensively used commercially available Chinese drones procured on the international market, despite Beijing’s official stance on the war.

Similarly, SDRA’s multipurpose equipment, designed for industrial and scientific use, cannot be definitively tied to military operations.

Tehran has categorically denied involvement in the attack, despite accusations from Washington and inflammatory calls from US senators John Cornyn, Tom Cotton, and Lindsey Graham to directly target Iran in response to the attacks.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, specifically Ansarullah al-Awfiya, part of the 19th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi resistance movement.

Not an isolated case

The unwarranted arrests of Abedini and Sadeghi at the behest of the US government—or directly on American soil—are not unprecedented or an isolated case.

In fact, they are emblematic of a broader, troubling pattern targeting Iranian scientists on the home soil or the foreign soil, driven by political motives.

Washington’s history of detaining and harassing Iranian experts is long and deliberate, often aimed at leveraging these individuals in prisoner swaps for American or European spies held in Iran.

Such actions are designed to intimidate Iranian scientists, discouraging them from engaging in international collaborations or contributing to advancements within their own country, according to activists and observers.

Since the inception of the so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran, approximately one hundred Iranian citizens have been detained in the US on various pretexts, most commonly for allegedly circumventing sanctions.

Among these cases is that of Masoud Soleimani, a distinguished professor and biomedical researcher, who accepted an official US invitation to collaborate in 2018 only to be imprisoned in one of America’s most notorious detention facilities for over a year.

Many others have been arrested in the US and European countries on other trumped-up charges. For example, Iranian musician and filmmaker Bashir Biazar was illegally arrested and imprisoned in France last year and had to spend almost a month behind bars.

Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian judiciary official, had been illegally imprisoned in Sweden on politically motivated charges and was released in June last year after 1,680 days of incarceration.

He was put on trial in a case launched by the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group that has openly boasted about carrying out terrorist operations against Iranian officials and civilians.

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission in London, has aptly remarked on this troubling phenomenon, noting that the US government and its allies appear resolute in their campaign to intimidate and suppress Iranians, especially scientists.

According to Shadjareh, the underlying goal is to stifle Iran’s scientific progress and disrupt its growing intellectual capabilities.

Longmont-area events for Wednesday, Jan. 8: Bring Your Own Book Club at Erie Community Library

Arts & Culture, Books

TodayBring Your Own Book Club: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Calling all tween book lovers to this low-stress book club. Discuss any book — a current read or an old favorite. There will also be a craft. Registration required. This program is for ages 9-12 years of age. Free, highplains.libcal.com.
High Road Home at Rosalee’s Pizzeria: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Rosalee’s Pizzeria, 461 Main St., Longmont. The High Road Home brings a progressive bluegrass sound with a clear focus on lyrically-driven songwriting, while continually pushing the boundaries of tradition, relentlessly experimenting with arrangements and improvisation at live shows. The band is made up of David Allen Willis, along with Adam Hines, Chase Marler, Wolf Loescher and Lena Dow. Free, 303-485-5020, rosaleespizzeria.com.
Upcoming
Page Turners Book Club: 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Carbon Valley Regional Library, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. Calling all avid readers. Join every second Thursday to discuss books from a variety of genres. Free, highplains.libcal.com.
Demo Dungeons & Dragons: 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Demo Dungeons & Dragons: One Shots will be a taste test for teens and tweens who want to give D&D a try but who aren’t sure about committing to a full campaign. Join the second week of each month to play bite size versions of the popular role playing game where players will experience the breadth of possibilities of the world of Dungeons and Dragons and RPGs, make new friends and build life and improv skills. Free, highplains.libcal.com.
Peter Garland performance: 6 p.m. Thursday, Bricks on Main / Miss Krissy’s Bistro, 471 Main St., Longmont. Your friendly neighborhood Piano Man, Peter Garland brings his mix of covers and originals to Bricks on Main for the afternoon. Bring friends and enjoy the vibe of solo Billy Joel, sway to a soulful ballad or two, sing along with the playful guitar and tap your foot to some rock and blues. Enjoy food and drinks by Miss Krissy’s Bistro. Free.
Left Hand Investment Q&A: 6 p.m. Thursday, Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Join for a casual Q&A in the Tasting Room with CEO and Founder Eric Wallace to learn more about capital raise, supporting independent business and how to get involved. Ask questions, listen to updates and network with others in the community. First pint is free. Free, lefthandbrewing.com.
Atom Collective at Left Hand Brewing: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. The Atom Collective is a dynamic groove, funk and jazz band that’s all about spreading joy and good vibes across Colorado’s Front Range. For fans of funky basslines, groovy beats or smooth jazz-inspired improvisation, the Atom Collective delivers a musical experience that’s sure to leave listeners smiling and tapping their feet. Free, lefthandbrewing.com.
50 Shades of Blue at Bricks: 6 p.m. Friday, Bricks on Main / Miss Krissy’s Bistro, 471 Main St., Longmont. 50 Shades of Blue is truly a collaborative, democratic band. Like all democracies, its creative process can be noisy and even contentious, but the end result is always better than any one of members had imagined in the first place. Take some of Dan Crecco’s New Orleans tinged drums and percussion, add Christine Webb’s soulful vocals and solid bass lines, then throw in Doc Seely’s mastery of all things with six strings, and the result is a savory gumbo of funkilicious blues and R&B. Free.
Vudu Sunshine at Bootstrap Brewing: 6 p.m. Friday, Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Vudu Sunshine lays down originals that span across multiple genres and its own interpretation of rock, funk, smooth jazz and reggae covers. bootstrapbrewing.com.