Federal agents accused a Leesburg, Va., resident of making video and audio tapes of demonstrators in the United States protesting the Syrian government, and then handing the recordings over to agents of Syrian intelligence.



The FBI assisted in the arrest of Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid, 47, a Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen, for six counts, including charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent and lying to federal law enforcement.



In a release, the Department of Justice said Soueid had been collecting information on individuals in the U.S. who were critical of the Syrian government. According to the indictment, the information, in the form of audio and video recordings, was used to silence and intimidate the critics, both in the United States and over in Syria.



Soueid is accused of gathering and passing information in the United States on to Syria's military and state intelligence agencies without notifying the U.S. government of his activities. Under United States law, agents working for foreign nations need to register with the United States Attorney General.



“The ability to assemble and protest is a cherished right in the United States," said U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride, "and it’s troubling that a U.S. citizen from Leesburg is accused of working with the Syrian government to identify and intimidate those who exercise that right."



Soueid was arrested October 11. He is also accused of lying on his application to purchase a 9-mm pistol. He faces 15 years on the spying charges, 15 years for the firearm charge, and 10 years for the charge of making false statements to federal investigators.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government strongly denies the allegations.

The Syrian embassy issued a statement Wednesday denying that Soueid is an agent for Syria or that he met personally with President Bashar Assad. It called the accusations "absolutely baseless and unacceptable."

A federal magistrate ordered Soueid held pending a detention hearing Friday after prosecutor Dennis Fitzpatrick said Soueid represents "a serious risk of flight."

Soueid wore a black fleece pullover and blue jeans. He said he had not yet had a chance to contact his attorney, but did not say who his attorney is. Court records do not list a defense attorney.