Posted on 07/18/2003 9:35:53 AM PDT by knighthawk
CHICAGO: A judge denied bail to a man accused of spying on Iraqi opposition groups for Saddam Hussein, saying he had "hitched his star to the murderer and torturer of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis”.
Khaled Abdel-Latif Dumeisi, 61, held his head in his hands on Thursday as federal magistrate judge Edward A Bobrick accused him of spying for "the maniacal, perverted, homicidal mass murderer and torturer of women and children."
The community newspaper publisher is accused of spying on Iraqi opposition leaders in this country on behalf of Saddam's intelligence service while failing to register as an agent of a foreign government.
Dumeisi is also charged with lying to an immigration official and a federal grand jury.
In denying bail, Bobrick found that Dumeisi was not only a flight risk but if released could still present a danger to Iraqi opposition figures and witnesses in the case.
Bobrick's strong words drew a protest from defence attorney James Fennerty.
"Those are allegations, judge," Fennerty said.
"Those are the allegations and there is probable cause to believe that," Bobrick shot back.
Fennerty said afterward he will again ask for bail when the case is brought before US district judge Suzanne B Conlon, who will preside over the case if it goes to trial.
Dumeisi, who was arrested on July 9, is not charged with espionage. He is charged with violating a US law that requires agents of foreign governments to register.
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