Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah
צילום: AFP
NY man pleads guilty to broadcasting Hizbullah TV
Pakistani who moved to US more than 25 years ago provided satellite transmission services to Al-Manar in exchange for thousands of dollars
A New York City man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization by broadcasting Hizbullah television channel Al Manar to US customers, federal prosecutors said.
In a plea deal, Javed Iqbal, 45, a Pakistani who moved to the United States more than 25 years ago, admitted that between about September 2005 and August 2006 he provided satellite transmission services through his Brooklyn-based company HDTV Ltd to Al-Manar, in exchange for thousands of dollars payment.
Hizbullah, an Iranian- and Syrian-backed Shiite Muslim group with a powerful guerrilla army, was designated by the US State Department as a terrorist organization in 1997.
The US Treasury branded Al Manar a terrorist organization in March 2006, saying it supported Hizbullah's fund-raising and recruitment activities.
Iqbal was arrested and initially charged in August 2006.
Saleh Elahwal, who lives in New Jersey and who prosecutors say also operated HDTV, faces similar charges and his trial is set to start on January 5.
Iqbal faces up to 15 years in prison and will be sentenced on March 24.
