Results tagged “hezbollah”

U.S. prosecutors say that two men, including a Queens building super, were indicted for allegedly trying to aid the Hezbollah: "Patrick Nayyar, an Indian citizen living in Queens, and Conrad Stanisclaus Mulholland, a U.K. citizen, have been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization; providing material support; conspiracy to make a contribution of funds, goods, or services to and for the benefit of Hezbollah; and making a contribution of funds, goods or services." Authorities also claim Nayyar was here illegally, but his lawyer said he is here legally, though his visa may have lapsed, adding he was skeptical of the charges.

A Staten Island man will spend nearly six years (69 months) in prison for selling a satellite TV package to New York customers that included the Hezbollah television channel Al Manar (pictured), which the feds call "a terrorist organization masquerading as a TV channel." In December, Javed Iqbal, who emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan as a teenager, agreed to a plea deal to settle the case, which could have landed him in prison for up to 15 years. At yesterday's sentencing, he said he was "deeply sorry" for what he calls a mistake, and his lawyer tells the Times the channel was just one "narrow aspect" of a TV package that was "180 degrees from Islamic fundamentalism." But federal prosecutor Eric Snyder called Iqbal "Hezbollah’s man in New York City. He did all this to bring the Hezbollah operations to our shores, to allow Hezbollah to have their operations here in New York City. That’s a very dangerous thing." The NYCLU had defended Iqbal on First Amdendment grounds, and the trial highlights the ongoing debate over how far the government can go in coping with terrorism: Is this censorship, or just keeping America safe?

A Pakistani man residing on Staten Island has pleaded guilty to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization by broadcasting a Hezbollah television channel to New York customers. Reuters reports that 45-year-old Javed Iqbal, who moved to the U.S. more than 25 years ago, faces up to 15 years in prison, but according to the Post Iqbal agreed to serve a six and a half year bid as part of a plea deal. The FBI busted Iqbal in August 2006 and accused him of providing customers with a satellite TV package that included Al Manar (pictured), which the feds call "a terrorist organization masquerading as a TV channel." The NYCLU had argued that Iqbal was being wrongfully prosecuted under a statute that "includes a First Amendment exemption that prevents the government from punishing people for importing news communications."