Keith Weissman | intelNews.org

Ex-DoD analyst accused of spying says he was FBI double spy

July 31, 2009 by intelNews Leave a comment

Larry Franklin

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Lawrence Anthony Franklin, the former US Defense Department analyst whose 12-year prison sentence was suspended last month, now claims he was an FBI informant in a case of alleged spying by the pro-Israeli lobby in Washington. Franklin was accused by the US government of handing classified military information to Uzi Arad, Naor Gilon, an Israeli Embassy official in Washington, as well as to Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, both lobbyists with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Besides Franklin, Rosen and Weissman were also taken to court by the FBI. Last May, however, US Justice Department prosecutors dropped all charges against the two former AIPAC members. It was just a matter of time before Franklin’s sentence was also suspended. Read more of this post

Filed under A specialized intelligence website written by experts, since 2008 Tagged with AIPAC, CBS News, eavesdropping, FBI, informants, Israel, Israeli embassy in the US, John Miller, Keith Weissman, Lawrence Anthony Franklin, lawsuits, Naor Gilon, News, Steve Rosen, United States, US Department of Justice, US DoD, Uzi Arad

Larry Franklin, implicated in Israeli spy affair, breaks silence

July 6, 2009 by intelNews Leave a comment

Franklin

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Lawrence Anthony Franklin, the former US Defense Department analyst whose 12-year prison sentence was suspended last month, has finally broken his silence. Franklin, who was accused by the US government of handing classified US military information to two American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbyists, has told Jeff Stein of SpyTalk that he handed out the secret information “in hopes that it would be passed on to the White House”. He said he was “worried” the Bush administration pursued a schizophrenic policy on Iran and had not calculated the Iranian reaction to a possible US invasion of Iraq. He therefore decided to pass on the classified information, which included “the names and locations of Iran’s secret agents and safe houses in Iraq”, to AIPAC lobbyists Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, who claimed they had senior contacts in the Bush administration. Read more of this post

Filed under A specialized intelligence website written by experts, since 2008 Tagged with AIPAC, CIA, Dick Cheney, disappearances, Douglas Feith, espionage, FBI, Iran, Israel, John Hannah, Keith Weissman, Lawrence Anthony Franklin, lawsuits, Manucher Ghorbanifar, News, Paul Wolfowitz, Steve Rosen, United States, William Luti

Another Israeli-handled spy in the US walks away free

June 15, 2009 by intelNews Leave a comment

Franklin

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
On April 23 intelNews first reported, and on May 4 confirmed, that the two American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbyists involved in the Lawrence Franklin spy case in the US would escape trial. Lawrence Anthony Franklin was a US Defense Department analyst who in 2006 was given a 12-year prison sentence for handing classified US military information to Israeli agent Uzi Arad, Israeli Embassy official Naor Gilon, as well as to Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, both former AIPAC lobbyists. But last month US Justice Department prosecutors dropped all charges against the two former AIPAC members due to “significant reservations about the case”, even though several Department officials believe that Rosen and Weissman “acted imprudently”, according to The New York Times. As IntelNews learned, the decision was taken despite significant objections from FBI officials, who desperately pressured the Department to go forward with the trial until the very last minute. The Bureau appears to be infuriated about the dismissal, which is rumored to be partly based on fears that classified information exposed during a trial could harm US national security. But this appears to be making no difference. In a final blow to the Bureau, a US federal judge has now decided to let Larry Franklin walk scot-free, despite his former conviction for espionage against the United States. Read more of this post

Filed under A specialized intelligence website written by experts, since 2008 Tagged with AIPAC, espionage, Israel, Keith Weissman, Lawrence Anthony Franklin, Naor Gilon, News, Steve Rosen, T.S. Ellis, United States, Uzi Arad

Charges dropped against AIPAC lobbyists involved in Franklin spy case

May 4, 2009 by intelNews 2 Comments

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
As intelNews reported on April 23, based on a tip by The Washington Post, it has been announced that the two American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbyists involved in the Lawrence Franklin spy case in the US will escape trial. Lawrence Anthony Franklin was a US Defense Department analyst who in 2006 was given a 12-year prison sentence for handing classified US military information to Israeli agent Uzi Arad, Israeli Embassy official Naor Gilon, as well as to Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, both former AIPAC lobbyists. But on Friday US Justice Department prosecutors dropped all charges against the two former AIPAC members due to “significant reservations about the case”, even though several Department officials believe that Rosen and Weissman “acted imprudently”, according to The New York Times. As IntelNews has learned, the decision was taken despite significant objections from FBI officials, who desperately pressured the Department to go forward with the trial until the very last minute. Read more of this post

Filed under A specialized intelligence website written by experts, since 2008 Tagged with AIPAC, Benjamin Netanyahu, FBI, Israel, Keith Weissman, Lawrence Anthony Franklin, lawsuits, Naor Gilon, News, Steve Rosen, United States, US Department of State, Uzi Arad

Comment: AIPAC agents accused of spying may walk scot-free

April 23, 2009 by intelNews 3 Comments

Jane Harman

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
The controversy over Democratic Representative Jane Harman’s alleged telephone deal with a suspected agent of Israel is still raging. One of its unfortunate side effects has been to shift media attention away from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) involvement in the Lawrence Franklin spy case, and focus instead on Washington micro-politicking. But what about the two former AIPAC lobbyists who are technically at the center of the Harman imbroglio? Read more of this post

Filed under A specialized intelligence website written by experts, since 2008 Tagged with AIPAC, Alberto Gonzales, Ben-Ami Kadish, Benjamin Netanyahu, communications interception, espionage, Hillary Clinton, Israel, Jane Harman, Joseph Fitsanakis, Keith Weissman, Lawrence Anthony Franklin, NSA, Sallai Meridor, Steve Rosen, United States, US Army, US Department of Justice, US Department of State, Uzi Arad

Comment: NSA listened in on Rep. Harman secret phone deal

April 21, 2009 by intelNews 3 Comments

Jane Harman

By IAN ALLEN| intelNews.org |
Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) has been in the limelight since Sunday evening, when veteran national security correspondent Jeff Stein published an article alleging that the Democratic politician struck a quid pro quo deal with a suspected Israeli spy. In the article, Stein cites several unnamed “former national security officials” who say Harman’s incriminating telephone conversation with the suspected Israeli agent was picked up in 2005 by a FISA-authorized NSA wiretap. During the call, the agent asked Harman to pressure US Justice Department officials to show leniency toward two American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbyists, who were arrested in 2005 for receiving classified information by convicted Israeli spy Lawrence Anthony Franklin. The two lobbyists, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, are still awaiting trial.

Clinton met with Israeli spy barred from entering US

March 9, 2009 by intelNews 3 Comments

Uzi Arad

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Much was made last week of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Israel, during which she met several of the key players in Israel’s new rightwing government. Among those was Benjamin Netanyahu, Chairman of Israel’s conservative Likud Party and the country’s new Prime Minister-Designate. Remarkably, however, when Clinton and her aides walked into Mr. Netanyahu’s office on March 4, they found there several of his advisors, including Uzi Arad, a 25-year veteran of Israel’s Mossad who is currently barred from entering the US for his involvement as a co-conspirator in the Lawrence Franklin spy case. Lawrence Anthony Franklin was a US Defense Department analyst, who in 2006 was given a 12-year prison sentence for handing classified US military information to Uzi Arad, Naor Gilon, an Israeli Embassy official in Washington, as well as to Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, both lobbyists with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Read more of this post