NYC Man Pleads Guilty to Broadcasting Hizbullah”s al-Manar
The owner of a satellite TV company in the U.S. has pleaded guilty to providing material aid to a "terrorist organization" by letting customers receive broadcasts from Hizbullah”s al-Manar television station.
Javed Iqbal, 45, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. He declined comment afterward. As part of the plea, Iqbal agreed to serve a prison term of up to 6 1/2 years. Sentencing was set for March 24.
Prosecutors said Iqbal, who was born in Pakistan and has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, used satellite dishes on his Staten Island home to distribute broadcasts of al-Manar.
The U.S. considers Hizbullah a terrorist organization.
"Are you aware of al-Manar”s relationship to Hizbullah?" Judge Richard Berman asked.
"Yes," Iqbal said.
The judge asked whether Iqbal knew that Hizbullah had been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S.
"Yes," Iqbal repeated.
The charges against Iqbal sparked a First Amendment battle. Iqbal”s lawyers said their client was no different from major news companies and Internet providers, some of which permit live streaming broadcasts of al-Manar.
"All these entities, like the defendants, were exercising their First Amendment rights to freely disseminate news and information, even satire, within the United States — but, all, except the defendants, have escaped prosecution altogether," Iqbal”s lawyers said in court papers.
Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi called the man”s arrest an "attack against freedoms (that) robs a large section of people from watching a specific channel."
Prosecutors said the First Amendment does not protect someone from engaging in a profitable commercial relationship when the underlying conduct is illegal.
The government noted that Iqbal had said he has never been a practicing Muslim and does not believe in a particular religion. It said that meant his motivation was purely for commercial gain and "utterly nonexpressive."
The indictment described commercial overtures, business contracts, money transfers, shipments of electronic equipment and an order for 35 satellite receivers, among other things, prosecutors noted.
"The defendants remain free to speak out in favor of Hizbullah or its political objectives," prosecutors wrote.
Last year, the judge presiding over the case had rejected Iqbal”s First Amendment claims.