FBI investigationThe United States has imposed sanctions on Assad and his government since the start of the crackdown that the United Nations estimates has killed at least 2,700 people.A State Department spokeswoman said that it had complained previously about harassment of Syrians in the United States. "You see here the first fruits of the FBI's investigation," said the spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.Starting around March 2011, Soueid worked as part of a network of operatives in the United States, sending some 20 video and audio recordings of protests and conversations with protesters, according to the indictment.In one instance, Soueid sent a coded message in April to the Syrian intelligence service via email that described a meeting of protesters in a Virginia suburb of Washington.He also sent to his contact at the Syrian embassy in Washington a website link for protesters in the United States, the indictment said.In addition, he sent contact details, including phone numbers and email addresses of the protesters, the charging document said.He returned from his trip to Syria in July and was questioned and searched at Dulles International Airport. That prompted him to tell his Syrian contacts that he had changed procedures and also said that the incident at the airport would not stop him, according to the indictment.About a month later, Soueid was confronted by FBI agents but he denied collecting information and sending it to the Syrian government, according to prosecutors. He was accused by Syrians and Syrian Americans in May in a private civil lawsuit filed in US federal court of helping the Syrian government target their families back in the country.The lawsuit also accused Syria and others of violating international law including killing and torturing them.
Man charged in US for spying on Syrian protesters
Mohamad Soueid allegedly met with Assad, sent pictures, videos, names, addresses, of anti-Assad protesters in US to Damascus.
FBI investigationThe United States has imposed sanctions on Assad and his government since the start of the crackdown that the United Nations estimates has killed at least 2,700 people.A State Department spokeswoman said that it had complained previously about harassment of Syrians in the United States. "You see here the first fruits of the FBI's investigation," said the spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.Starting around March 2011, Soueid worked as part of a network of operatives in the United States, sending some 20 video and audio recordings of protests and conversations with protesters, according to the indictment.In one instance, Soueid sent a coded message in April to the Syrian intelligence service via email that described a meeting of protesters in a Virginia suburb of Washington.He also sent to his contact at the Syrian embassy in Washington a website link for protesters in the United States, the indictment said.In addition, he sent contact details, including phone numbers and email addresses of the protesters, the charging document said.He returned from his trip to Syria in July and was questioned and searched at Dulles International Airport. That prompted him to tell his Syrian contacts that he had changed procedures and also said that the incident at the airport would not stop him, according to the indictment.About a month later, Soueid was confronted by FBI agents but he denied collecting information and sending it to the Syrian government, according to prosecutors. He was accused by Syrians and Syrian Americans in May in a private civil lawsuit filed in US federal court of helping the Syrian government target their families back in the country.The lawsuit also accused Syria and others of violating international law including killing and torturing them.