F.B.I. Said to Reach (Israeli) Official Suspected of Passing Secrets

[rawstory]

From the liberal alternative to Drudge, http://rawstory.com

The F.B.I. is in communication with a Pentagon official suspected of passing secrets to Israel and is seeking to gain his cooperation in their espionage investigation, government officials said to the New York Times Saturday.

The Pentagon official, Larry Franklin, a midlevel analyst who works in the policy office of the Defense Department, has been in contact with investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, officials said. It could not be learned whether he was talking with the bureau directly or through a lawyer.

Government officials say they suspect that Mr. Franklin provided classified documents to officials at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a major pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington, and that the group in turn handed the materials over to Israeli intelligence. Both the lobbying group and the Israeli government have denied any misconduct.

Mr. Franklin could not be located for comment.

NYT (registration-restricted): http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/politics/29spy.html?ex=1251432000&en=306dae10c4c4682e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt

No registration story: http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=259

[shadu]

1. I like your website: rawstory.com

very well done

[MGKrebs]

2. Me too. Very nice.

[rawstory]

3. Haha. Thanks. But that's not the point.

But do come back, please! ;)

[Voltaire99]

5. I like it, too--keep up the good work (n/t)

[aquart]

4. "Suspect"?

With all the new powers of the Patriot Act, the FBI hasn't enough to charge this guy unless he talks???? After a year? Could these guys find an egg in a chicken?

My biggest question is What started the investigation? Something made them look at this guy.....and they're still looking after a year?

My second biggest question, is why go public now?

Here on DU people seem to see this as a blackeye for Bush which means an anti-Bush person leaked the info? Well, God knows that there are enough of them in the intelligence field.

And WHO would Bush's FBI be trying to indict? They don't seem to want Franklin so much as someone else. Who?

[hedda_foil]

6. If they're seeking to gain his cooperation, it can mean only one thing!

The FBI is gonna try to roll up the neocon-Likudnik cabal straight up the line from Franklin to Rhode and Luti to Feith to Wolfowitz to Rummy, Cheny and Libby. This goes way beyond one guy.

I'm thrilled that they may be taken all the way down, but as a Jew who despises Sharon and the Likudniks, I've gotta tell you guys that I'm terrified that this is going to rebound against American Jews in a big way. I've been worried about that since we learned about what these freaks were up to when we started investigating PNAC way back in '92.

BASTARDS!

[Dover]

7. I think the resentment that was building was due to these extremists'

failed Middle Eastern policy, and the perception that they were putting America's interests second to Israel's through manipulation and corrupt means. THIS is what has been harmful to the Jewish image, as has the brutality of events in Israel. And it ultimately threatens to do a great deal more harm than the short term goal of rounding up the corrupt, treasonous neocons.

I hope the Jewish community will support these investigations, as difficult as it may be, speak out loud and clear, and do what's necessary to get these extremists out ASAP. The Christian community is also concerned about being lumped together with the Right Wing Fundamentalists.
Like playing the 'race' card, some will try to exploit the situation using the 'anti-semitic' card, or the 'Jesus' card (used by the Fundies) or the 'patriot' card, etc....all for the purpose of deflecting and redirecting the real issues. So we all just need to recognise it when it happens and stand together.

We just need to do a clean sweep.

[BadGimp]

8. This could blow up big in Bush's face

Americans don't know who these Neocons are and what they stand for. This might help.