Newark, New Jersey, April 24 (Reuters): An Indian-origin Briton charged with selling a shoulder-launched missile to terrorists for use in the US has been described by his lawyer as ?a joke, a clown? who was strung along by undercover agents in a case of entrapment.

Defence lawyer Henry Klingeman on Friday portrayed Hemant Lakhani, 69, a British citizen born in India, as a failed businessman who ?couldn?t finish a deal if his life depended on it?.

Lakhani, arrested in August 2003 after a two-year international sting operation, was charged with trying to provide material support to terrorists, unlawful arms sales, smuggling and money laundering. He could face 25 years in prison.

US district judge Katharine Hayden scheduled the jury to begin deliberations on Tuesday.

The trial, which began in early January, was held up for more than a month because of Lakhani?s health problems.

While the prosecution depicted Lakhani as an enthusiastic broker eager to supply a terrorist group, the defence said he was a victim of the government?s overzealous law enforcement in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

?He may be a fool, a charlatan, but he?s no arms dealer,? said Klingeman, who said there was nothing in Lakhani?s background to suggest involvement with terrorists and no criminal record of that sort.

He said Lakhani was a failed businessman who had declared bankruptcy, owed taxes on his house, was evicted from the office where he ran his clothing business and owed money on bounced cheques.

Prosecutor Stuart Rabner countered that Lakhani had freely offered to arrange the sale of 50 more missiles.

?There was no coercion. No threats, no guns to the defendant?s head,? Rabner said. ?You don?t have to be sophisticated to be a criminal. You can be a dumb criminal.?