VALLEY MAN INDICTED AS IRAQI AGENT.Byline: SUE DOYLE Staff Writer WEST HILLS -- A San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. man worked as a spy for Saddam Hussein's former regime, gathering information in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. for the Iraqi Intelligence Service Noun 1. Iraqi Intelligence Service - the most notorious and possibly the most important arm of Iraq's security system; "the Iraqi Mukhabarat has been involved in numerous terrorist activities" IIS, Iraqi Mukhabarat in exchange for cash and whiskey, authorities said Wednesday. Code-named ``9211,'' William Shaoul Benjamin, 64, who used six aliases, was indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. by a federal grand jury for failing to register as an agent of a foreign government. He also faces charges of conspiracy and making false statements, the FBI said. He was arrested Sept. 14. Benjamin, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is home on $500,000 bail, wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet. He declined to comment, referring calls to his Encino-based attorney, James Edward Blatt, who did not return calls. Benjamin lives in a modest, two-story white house in the 22100 block of Parthenia Street -- a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood with well-groomed yards. The FBI did not say whether Benjamin had another occupation. His role for the Iraqi Intelligence Service was to monitor U.S. organizations considered hostile to Saddam's former regime and then pass on information about groups and their members, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a nine-page indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . Prosecutors allege that Benjamin traveled to Iraq for Iraqi Intelligence Service training, and from at least July 1993 to Sept. 3, 2001, he communicated with Iraqi intelligence officers, who called him by his code name and told him what to do. The indictment alleges that Iraqi Intelligence Service officers paid him at least $8,500 in cash, some for travel back and forth from America to Iraq, which occurred at least three times. He also received two bottles of whiskey for his efforts, it said. Besides failing to register as an agent of a foreign government, Benjamin is accused of falsely declaring under oath that he had renounced allegiance to Iraq. And on his application for American citizenship -- he is a naturalized citizen NATURALIZED CITIZEN. One who, being born an alien, has lawfully become a citizen of the United States Under the constitution and laws. 2. He has all the rights of a natural born citizen, except that of being eligible as president or vice-president of the United -- he failed to mention his work for the Iraqi Intelligence Service. Hussein's government was toppled in 2003 when the United States and a number of its allies invaded Iraq. Benjamin's trial is set to begin Nov. 7. He faces 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts. sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3746 |
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