Seeking an outlet for its propaganda in America, Hezbollah’s television network paid a Staten Island man to broadcast its programming, prosecutors charged.

Hezbollah’s network, al Manar, made four monthly payments of nearly $28,000 each to a satellite television company owned by the Staten Island man, HDTV, according to an indictment unsealed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The alleged payments spanned from December 2005 until the spring of this year.

The indictment offers a glimpse into the alleged business relationship between al Manar and HDTV. HDTV’s owner, Javed Iqbal, who also broadcasts sermons by Christian evangelists, was arrested in August for allegedly offering to charge his New York customers for access to al Manar’s broadcasts. Now a second man, Mr. Iqbal’s business partner, is charged as well.

The business partner, Saleh Elahwal, who was arrested yesterday morning, served as a go-between for al Manar and Mr. Iqbal, according to the indictment. It was Mr. Elahwal who inked a contract in Beirut in November, 2005 agreeing that HDTV would broadcast al Manar, the indictment alleges.

In August, news of Mr. Iqbal’s arrest drew criticism from First Amendment experts who said it could be unconstitutional to convict a man for providing broadcasts of al Manar. But the recent indictment signals that prosecutors will base their case on the financial connection between al Manar, which is controlled by Hezbollah, and Messrs Iqbal and Elahwal.

Al Manar, which means “the beacon” in Arabic, broadcasts a mixture of news reports and longer feature programs, which are sometimes virulently anti-Semitic. The Beirut-based station is controlled by Hezbollah. The U.S. Treasury Department designated the station a global terrorist entity this March, making it illegal for American citizens to engage in business with al Manar.

The terrorist designation came about one week after the last check from al Manar, for $27,973, was wired to HDTV, according to the indictment.

The indictment charges both Messrs. Iqbal and Elahwal, 53, with material support for terrorism. Both face maximum prison terms of 110 years if convicted, prosecutors said.

At a federal court hearing yesterday, Judge Richard Berman of U.S. District Court in Manhattan, set bail for Mr. Elahwal, 53, at $400,000. Mr. Elahwal’s attorney pleaded not guilty on his client’s behalf. Mr. Elahwal, of Matewan, N.J., is a dentist with a practice in Brooklyn, the attorney, Edward Sapone, said, following the court appearance. Originally from Egypt, Mr. Elahwal has been in this country for 25 years, and has “never done anything inappropriate in his whole life,” Mr. Sapone said. Javed Iqbal, who is free on $250,000 bail, was present in court as well. He wore a pin of the American flag on the right lapel of his suit. Before the court session began, Mr. Iqbal rose from his chair and shook hands with two of the federal agents involved in the investigation.