USA: America could seek more charges against two men charged with broadcasting Hezbollah television to American viewers

Record ID: 783408

  • Title: USA: America could seek more charges against two men charged with broadcasting Hezbollah television to American viewers
  • Date: 23rd January 2007
  • Summary: (AM) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - NOVEMBER 20, 2006) (REUTERS) SKETCH OF IQBAL AND SALEH ELAHWAL (WITH GLASSES) IN HIS PREVIOUS APPEARANCE IN COURT SKETCH OF IQBAL SKETCH OF ELAHWAL
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA62M233V0L4UTP3KBX1DF0043X
  • Story Text: The U.S. government may seek to expand its investigation of two men facing terrorism charges relating to the broadcasting of Hezbollah television al-Manar in the New York City area. The men who appeared in court on Monday (January 23) in New York face a maximum of 110 years in prison each if convicted on all charges. Two men facing terrorism charges for providing satellite broadcasts of Hezbollah television al-Manar to U.S. customers could face further charges.
    Saleh Elahwal, 53, and Javed Iqbal, 42, appeared in a New York court on Monday (January 22).
    The men were charged with providing material support to al-Manar -- branded by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization in March -- according to a previous indictment in November 2006.
    The U.S. government may seek to expand its criminal investigation to include streaming on the internet but on Monday no new charges were filed with the court.
    Each man faced a maximum of 110 years in prison if convicted of all 11 counts.
    Both men have pleaded not guilty.
    Lawyers for both men did not comment. The case is expected to resume March 19.
    Judge Richard M. Bermin on Monday excluded the case from a speedy trial to forfeit a mistrial.
    The U.S. Treasury Department froze the U.S. assets of al-Manar in March, saying it supported the fund-raising and recruitment activities of Hezbollah, a Shi'ite Muslim group backed by Syria and Iran.
    Iqbal, a Pakistani who moved to the United States 24 years ago and who lives in New York was arrested and first charged in August with providing satellite customers with the Hezbollah-operated channel.
    According to previous charges, between September 2005 and August 2006, the two men used the television company they own, Brooklyn-based HDTV Ltd., to negotiate with representatives of the al-Manar network, to air the channel.
    Court documents said Elahwal, who lives in New Jersey, and Iqbal were paid by al-Manar more than 111,000 U.S. dollars (USD) within a four month period.
    The channel provided wide coverage of the war between Hezbollah and Israel last summer, broadcasting exclusive footage shot by Hezbollah guerrillas. It was attacked by Israeli airstrikes during the fighting.
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