Pentagon analyst Larry Franklin, who is not Jewish, has been
indicted on charges of leaking classified military
information to employees of AIPAC, according to court papers
made public Monday. Through his attorney, Franklin denied all
the charges.
The indictment was filed on May 26, shortly after Franklin's
arrest, but it was not unsealed until Monday June 13 on the
first day of Shavuos.
The six-count indictment charges that Franklin conspired to
disclose US national defense and classified information to
people not entitled to receive it, including information
about potential attacks on US forces in Iraq. He is also
charged with conspiring to communicate the information to an
agent and representative of a foreign government.
Franklin, 58, is a relatively low-level analyst who worked in
the Pentagon. His trial was set for September 6.
The indictment identifies two former employees of AIPAC as co-
conspirators: Steve Rosen, AIPAC's former policy director,
and Keith Weissman, its former senior Iran analyst.
The charge sheet does not mention the names of the AIPAC
officials nor does it mention the organization by name.
However public reports over the past two years about the
progress of the case leave little doubt about who is
intended.
The indictment also outlines in great detail Franklin's ties
with what is called "a foreign official." Sources close to
the case have identified him as Naor Gilon, who was in charge
of policy at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
FBI agents apparently kept a close surveillance on Gilon,
Franklin and the two AIPAC officials, for more than two
years. The FBI tapped their telephones and listened in on
other conversations they held.
Israeli sources said yesterday that there were no indications
in the charge sheet of accusations against Israel and that
the details released so far did not indicate any
inappropriate behavior on the part of diplomats from the
embassy. However the charge sheet states that Franklin "acted
on requests for additional information," which could indicate
active Israeli involvement.
The connection between Gilon and Franklin began when Gilon
arrived in Washington and presented himself to Franklin as
the "policy person" and the one with whom to be in contact.
The charge sheet outlines a long series of telephone calls
and 14 other talks between the two, as well as a number of
faxes. Most of the conversations dealt with Iran's nuclear
weapons buildup, although Iran is also not specifically
mentioned.
In May, 2003, Franklin allegedly sent a memorandum to his
superiors which "incorporated suggestions made by the foreign
official."
The specific offense of "communicating national defense
information to persons not entitled to receive it" allegedly
took place at a meeting on June 8, 2004, at which Franklin
allegedly gave Gilon information about Iranian activity in
Iraq. This apparently was an FBI sting operation in which
Franklin told the official that the Iranians were planning to
hurt Israelis operating in the Kurdish region of Iraq.
According to the charge sheet, Franklin asked for a letter
from Gilon to help his daughter enter Israel from Jordan.
Gilon faxed Franklin the letter.
The charge sheet also gives details of a meeting between
Franklin and Uzi Arad whom it describes as "a former
intelligence agent of a foreign country." Arad, who chairs
the Herzliya Conference on Policy, invited Franklin to the
prestigious event in Israel.
