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CNN Live At Daybreak
Saddam's Snoop, Publisher Convicted
Aired January 13, 2004 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A spy among us in Chicago, a spy who deeply admired Saddam Hussein as a true friend of the Palestinian cause. A newspaper publisher has now been convicted of spying for Iraq.
CNN affiliate reporter from WFLD Larry Yellen tells us more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK FITZGERALD, U.S. ATTORNEY: I think this conviction sends an important message that people can't come to our country and spy on fellow residents of our country.
LARRY YELLEN, CBS AFFILIATE WFLD REPORTER (voice-over): It took a federal jury less than two hours to find Khaled Dumeisi guilty of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Saddam Hussein's regime. He was also convicted of lying to immigration officials to get his U.S. citizenship and lying to a federal grand jury.
FITZERALD: What we did convict Mr. Dumeisi of was not espionage, because there was not a sending of classified information about America overseas, but it was acting on behalf of a foreign government -- gathering information and sending it overseas.
YELLEN: The 61-year-old Dumeisi was the publisher of a small Arabic newspaper in south suburban Burbank. During the trial, the jury saw this video tape of Dumeisi at the Iraqi mission in New York City, calling Saddam Hussein -- quote -- "our inspired leader."
There was evidence Dumeisi received at least $3,000 for spying on Iraqi dissidents here, then sending his information through the Iraqi mission to intelligence agents in Baghdad. His motive? A hatred for Israel and a desperate need for cash.
In closing arguments, his defense attorney, John Murphy (ph), told the jury: "Reaching a verdict of not guilty does not in any way endorse his very dubious opinions. Quite frankly, I don't like them either." But the jury found him guilty on all counts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not going to describe him as a big fish or a small fish. What he did and what he was charged with is illegal, and that's what the jury came back with.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That report from Larry Yellen of our Chicago affiliate WFLD. Sentencing in the case is set for March 30. We'll keep you posted.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired January 13, 2004 - 06:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A spy among us in Chicago, a spy who deeply admired Saddam Hussein as a true friend of the Palestinian cause. A newspaper publisher has now been convicted of spying for Iraq.
CNN affiliate reporter from WFLD Larry Yellen tells us more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK FITZGERALD, U.S. ATTORNEY: I think this conviction sends an important message that people can't come to our country and spy on fellow residents of our country.
LARRY YELLEN, CBS AFFILIATE WFLD REPORTER (voice-over): It took a federal jury less than two hours to find Khaled Dumeisi guilty of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Saddam Hussein's regime. He was also convicted of lying to immigration officials to get his U.S. citizenship and lying to a federal grand jury.
FITZERALD: What we did convict Mr. Dumeisi of was not espionage, because there was not a sending of classified information about America overseas, but it was acting on behalf of a foreign government -- gathering information and sending it overseas.
YELLEN: The 61-year-old Dumeisi was the publisher of a small Arabic newspaper in south suburban Burbank. During the trial, the jury saw this video tape of Dumeisi at the Iraqi mission in New York City, calling Saddam Hussein -- quote -- "our inspired leader."
There was evidence Dumeisi received at least $3,000 for spying on Iraqi dissidents here, then sending his information through the Iraqi mission to intelligence agents in Baghdad. His motive? A hatred for Israel and a desperate need for cash.
In closing arguments, his defense attorney, John Murphy (ph), told the jury: "Reaching a verdict of not guilty does not in any way endorse his very dubious opinions. Quite frankly, I don't like them either." But the jury found him guilty on all counts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not going to describe him as a big fish or a small fish. What he did and what he was charged with is illegal, and that's what the jury came back with.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That report from Larry Yellen of our Chicago affiliate WFLD. Sentencing in the case is set for March 30. We'll keep you posted.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
