<p><br /> A retired British businessman has firmly denied claims he sold arms to Iran.<br /> </p><p><br /> Sixty-three-year-old Christopher Tappin will face an extradition hearing in two weeks' time which will decide if he is to be set to the US to face charges.<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Tapping said: "Even though I am certain I did nothing wrong I would be happy to face trail in the United Kingdom and not the USA. I live here with my family and the alleged crimes were committed here.<br /> </p><p><br /> "My wife suffers from Churg-Strauss syndrome, which is a very serious condition and she needs my constant support and attention."<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Tapping, from Orpington, Kent, is alleged to have sold batteries, sourced in America, for surface-to-air missiles to Tehran.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Kent County Golf Union president denies the allegations and believes he was unwittingly caught up in a US customs sting.<br /> </p><p><br /> "I was the victim of the unlawful conduct of US agents who pretended to belong to a false company, known as Mercury Global Enterprises. It exists solely to ensnare unsuspecting importers.<br /> </p><p><br /> "When negotiating with me, and when I raised my concerns about the licence agreement they assured me that 'this would not be a problem', however the same agents have been relied upon to accuse me of being responsible for not obtaining the licences.<br /> </p><p><br /> "They misled me by sending me paperwork which clearly stated 'no license required'."<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Tappin said he was informed that his business associate Robert Gibson had been injured in a car accident when he had, in fact, been arrested.<br /> </p>
