Posted on 08/26/2006 7:05:21 AM PDT by Brit_Guy
A US businessman has been charged with offering broadcasts of Hezbollah's al-Manar satellite television station to customers in the New York-area. Javed Iqbal, originally from Pakistan, is accused by prosecutors of doing business with a terrorist entity.
The Hezbollah Shia militia has been involved in a month-long conflict with Israeli forces in Lebanon and is seen as a terrorist group by the US.
Mr Iqbal's lawyers say his arrest violates his right to free speech.
"It's like the government of Iran saying we are going to ban the New York Times because we think of it as a terrorist outfit, or China saying we will ban CNN," a spokesman for the law firm representing Mr Iqbal told the Reuters news agency.
America would be hopping up and down crying freedom of speech and freedom of the press," the spokesman said.
A lawyer representing Mr Iqbal said he knew of no other case where a person had been accused of breaking US law by offering access to news outlets via satellite dish. According to court papers and government documents, the authorities sent an agent posing as a potential customer after being informed that Mr Iqbal was offering al-Manar TV.
Mr Iqbal reportedly offered the agent a television package that included access to al-Manar broadcasts.
Mr Iqbal appeared in court on Thursday and was bailed for $250,000 (£132,300).
Prosecutor Stephen A Miller had argued against granting him bail, indicating more charges were likely to be filed.
"The charge lurking in the background is material support for terrorism," the Associated Press news agency quotes him as saying.
IT'S STUPID!
2 Reasons:
1/ I actaully agree with the chump that it is exactly like Iran banning CNN of BBC or something like that. We would be up in arms. Freedom of speech is what we are about no matter how unpleasant the messaage. Stick it up there in competition with the truth and it will win out. Folk choose news providers which pander to their world view, we are long past your news provider shaping your world view - nobody has a monopoly on news any more so that doesn't work - ask yourself - you have a choice of FOX or CNN - which do you watch? If they banned Fox would you suddenly become a liberal? No.
2/ (and more important still!) GIVEN that people seek news providers that subscribe to their world view we should have let this guy peddle his news openly. Frankly, his subscriber list would be a GOLDMINE to the intelligence services of people who sympathise with Hizobollahs aims living in the US.
A chance for an easily gathered watch list lost....
It all depends on where the money is going. If this guy is paying Hezbollah for access to the broadcasts, he is guilty of funding terrorists - end of story. If the guy gets the broadcasts for free it's another matter.
"exactly like Iran banning CNN of BBC"
You got a good point here.... CNN and BBC is a terrorist propaganda outfit just like Aljustsmearja... should be banned in the US as well.
Not exactly like Iran banning CNN and/or BBC - those media venues tend to support the terrorists. It would be more like Iran banning FOX which tends to be more honest, but still not the same. Let's face it, if it's pro-terror, we should oppose it, but I won't try to hold my breath until WE try to ban the NYT...
Sounds good to me. Then at least the Iranian govt. and FR would have one thing they agree on.
/
Something as innocuous as a story on couscous might be a signal to a cell here in the U.S. to attack specific target.
There's nothing about free speech here. It's his doing business with terrorists that's illegal. It's like a religion that did human sacrifice claiming freedom of religion when they're arrested.
why stop this guy from exercising his part in the pervasiveness of "anything goes" in the name of "tolerance" and "diversity"?... we should give him a government grant after all, and maybe a 25 year contract to use government property "as long as it benefits the United States"...:|
Muslim youth camp to begin building in July
http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060619/NEWS01/60619005/1079
we should all know how the #1 enemy of muslims in America is The Patriot Act... they supported (non prof org too i think!) the marches Aug 12th and are planning one against of all places, "Department of Homeland Security"!...:|
http://www.masnet.org/
You couldn't be more wrong. It's more like Iran banning a TV station that broadcasts messages from a Christian terrorist group. If such a thing existed.
OK, so the comparison wasn't direct - but the point is that is how it will be percieved by those who try to deny the West is about Free Speech (clever play on their part), and the other more important point is we have just thrown away a great source of intel on terrorist sympathisers (his subscriber list!).
It has nothing to do with freedom of speech. His rights to free speech have not been infringed. He can go out on any street corner and speak whatever he wants- which is why he and his lawyers can cry all day about it if they like without fear of being arrested themselves. He can take pen to paper and write what he wants; but he doesn't have a right to get it published by some newspaper- that is at the disretion of the newspaper. He can grab a megaphone and shout if he wants, that is, until he infringes on someone else's rights. For example, if he's too loud he can be nailed for disturbing the peace. That doesn't mean he can't speak- it just means he may not violate other people's right to be secure in their property by keeping them up al night long. He may have to speak his mind during waking hours instead. He also cannot incite people to riot or panic, such as yelling fire in a crowded movie theater. Calling on people to kill jews / christians / leaders he doesn't like, etc would qualify under incitement if that's what he's doing.
He can play Hezbollah broadcasts to himself... as much as he likes in his own home and on other people's property if they agree to permit it and care to listen. But he does not own the airwaves- and broadcasting is regulated, so his business likely falls under FCC regulations, tax laws, copyright laws and such. There is a reason for regulations in that broadcasting on a given frequency or using satellite channels means someone else cannot use those channels or frequency. Think of frequencies and channels and so on as being like water use in a water rights case out west.
In this case he is not being prevented from speaking- he is being penalized not for speech but for doing business with the enemy. That is, he isn't being nailed for his taste in news, but for giving aid and comfort in the form of money to the enemy, and agent of a foreign government, and for providing a service to that foreign entity, etc. There are also laws on the books prohibiting citizens from acting as the agents of a foreign country without registering as foreign agents- and Hezbollah is Iran's equivalent to a merc organization.
If he was producing his own original material it might be a different story ... except even in that case if he broadcasts it he will have to do it according to FCC rules and regulations. It will be regulated as any broadcasting service is.
Hey - all of which is true and clearly nations have the right to control their airwaves, and clearly the right to free speech is not absolute, and clearly if you debate equivalance of the BBC with Al Manar it doesn't take long to win the argument....
HOWEVER - we should have let this chump set up his little terror propoganda subscription service, and simply spied on his subscription list. Would have been very interesting to see who gave into 'temptation' to subscribe because that would betray their real world view. You have a choice of Fox and CNN which do you watch? If Raghead bob has a choice between fox and Al Manar and chooses Al Manar what does that tell us about Raghead bob?
Instead that is vital intel we now wont have - and all those who want Al Manar will still stream it off the net. We also lose a chance to claim yet more magnificent moral high ground.
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