One of the most authoritative books written on terrorist groups operating in America, Steven Emerson’s “American Jihad,” has asserted that Hezbollah is active in American cities, including Detroit, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C. Most notable was a Hezbollah cell operating in Charlotte, N.C. It was taken down following an FBI sting in July 2000 whereby 18 people were charged. According to the indictment, they were guilty of providing training, communication equipment, and explosives to Hezbollah, “in order to facilitate its violent attacks.”

Hezbollah does maintain an elaborate network in America. Staff from its television network Al-Manar have lived and been educated here, including a translator, Mohammad Abdullah, who graduated from the University of Massachusetts. Al-Manar also reportedly has a Washington-based correspondent named Muhammad Dalbah.

Al-Manar’s Web site, www.manartv.com, is registered in Seattle, Wash., by a company called eNom, with Internap Network Operations. Previously, the Web site was hosted in New Jersey. According to a May 31, 2005, report in the St. Petersburg Times, it was taken down temporarily but was up again a week later with another provider. Al-Manar Webmaster Mohammed Obeid explained: “Companies that do hosting for us are getting afraid of the consequences by the U.S.”

Anti-American figures are occasionally interviewed on Al-Manar from Washington. For example, the editor in chief of the Washington-based Middle East Magazine, Ahmad Yusuf, appeared on December 30, 2004, and said Muslims were not involved in the attacks of September 11, 2001. He called them a grand scheme designed by Israelis and American right-wing forces, including “evangelical Christians.” He also said the American government itself attacked Pearl Harbor as an excuse to enter War World II.

In its broader strategy to reach out to Americans, Al-Manar has been useful to Hezbollah. During the last two years, delegations from families of victims of the September 11 attacks, along with members of the Presbyterian Church, have appeared on the channel in meetings with the terror organization. In one instance, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, Sheikh Nabil Qauq, called President Bush’s and America’s “aggressive inclination a real danger to all monotheistic religions.” A Presbyterian elder, Ronald Stone, stood at Mr. Qauq’s side and said, “We treasure the precious words of Hezbollah and your expression of goodwill toward the American people.”

In May 2004, Al-Manar invited foreign college students studying in Lebanon, from countries such as Australia, Russia, and America, to participate in a documentary in support of Hezbollah. Three American students took part, including an American University of Beirut graduate student, Stephanie Tournear. She was quoted in the Daily Star as saying, “It’s a shame you can’t state your opinion or observations regarding Hezbollah in the U.S.” Another American student who would not be identified said, “I decided not to be involved in the documentary, as it could have security and employment implications for me upon return to the U.S.”

In an important step in the war on terror, the State Department added Al-Manar to its “Terrorism Exclusion List” in December 2004 for incitement to terrorism. Among other things, the designation means that anyone working for or helping the network can be barred from America.

Yet Al-Manar maintains vocal Arab and Muslim-American supporters. Osama Siblani, publisher of Dearborn Michigan’s Arab American News, which according to its Web site, “is the largest, oldest, and most respected Arab American newspaper in the United States” was quoted in the Washington Post as saying, “I disagree with the State Department that it [Al-Manar] incites violence. … By that standard, they should shut Fox News for inciting against Muslims.” Texas Muslims for Islamic Change issued a statement that it was “dismayed at this development and considers it to be part of the American government’s assault on constitutional rights” adding, “to date we have not seen properly documented evidence brought forward that would support the State Department’s claim that Al-Manar ‘preaches violent and hatred’ or ‘serves to incite … terrorist violence.'”

Since it has been put on the State Department’s terror list, the station has continued to attack America, describing it as a “plague” with commentators calling for jihad against the country. As Hezbollah’s leader, Sheikh Nasrallah, declared to a rally of thousands yelling “Death to America,” covered live on Al-Manar in February 2005: “We consider the current administration an enemy of our [Islamic] nation. … Our motto, which we are not afraid to repeat year after year is ‘Death to America.'” Next week’s column will focus on anti-American incitement on Al-Manar.

Mr. Stalinsky is the executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute.