September 9, 2005 -- WASHINGTON — A federal magistrate yesterday hit former Clinton national security adviser Sandy Berger with two years' probation and a $50,000 fine — more than prosecutors sought — for filching top-secret documents and lying about it.

Prosecutors proposed more than a year's probation and a fine of just $10,000, but magistrate Deborah Robinson said that fine wouldn't "sufficiently reflect the seriousness of the offense."

Berger didn't get jail time, nor will he have to wear a Martha Stewart-type monitoring device.

"The actions that bring me here today . . . are indefensible . . . I deeply regret them," Berger told the court.

Berger filched top-secret Clinton-era memos from the National Archives while preparing to testify before the 9/11 commission, lied about taking them, and destroyed some.

In addition to the $50,000 fine, Berger must pay $6,905.52 — the cost for the feds to monitor his probation for two years. He'll also do 100 hours of community service.