@@ Anti-Iran 'Larry Franklin' @@
Arash
June 14, 2005
Pentagon Analyst Accused of Creating Web of Deception
Indictment alleges stealthy contacts by an official suspected of leaking secrets to
Israel.
By Richard B. Schmitt
Washington — A Defense Department analyst suspected of leaking secrets to Israel engaged
in a nearly two-year pattern of deception, meeting stealthily with two lobbyists and an
unidentified embassy official on numerous occasions, including several encounters at the
Pentagon athletic club, Justice Department officials alleged Monday.
Lawrence A. Franklin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Franklin) was charged with two
counts of conspiracy and four counts of communicating classified information, including
details of a secret administration policy paper and information about weapons testing by
countries in the Middle East. If he is convicted, Franklin, who was arrested and charged
last month, will face up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Trial was set for September 6 after Franklin pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in
Alexandria, Va., where the six-count indictment was unsealed.
The 20-page indictment, though short on new insights into the secrets that Larry Franklin
allegedly betrayed, offered details on the number and locations of meetings where he
reportedly passed information illegally.
The indictment also gave a window into the activities and motives of two onetime members
of a powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization, the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aipac), who were named as unidentified
co-conspirators. One of the employees allegedly launched the conspiracy with a phone call
to the Defense Department in August 2002 seeking an expert on Iran. He was referred to
Larry Franklin.
The indictment alleges that in separate meetings Franklin also passed classified
information directly to an official of a foreign embassy. The indictment does not name the
official or identify the embassy, but sources believe it was that of the government of
Israel. The indictment also alleges that Franklin met with a retired intelligence official
from that same foreign country in the Pentagon cafeteria and discussed the nuclear program
of a Middle Eastern country, among other subjects, although it alleges no wrongdoing in
connection with that meeting.
Investigators believe the lobbyists and Larry Franklin crossed a line out of growing
concern about the threat posed to Israel by Iran.
But the case has been a delicate one for the U.S. government because it concerns the
activities of a longtime ally. Many aspects remain cloaked in secrecy. The indictment
itself, for example, makes no mention of Israel; AIPAC is described only as a "Washington,
D.C., lobbying organization."
The two AIPAC employees who allegedly conspired with Franklin — Steve Rosen
(http://www.jta.org/storage/articleimages/15423.jpg), who at the time was the group's
longtime policy director, and Keith Weissman
(http://www.richardsilverstein.com/photos/uncategorized/weissman.jpg), a top analyst — are
identified only as CC-1 and CC-2.
The lobbying group, which fired Steve Rosen and Weissman this year, has said it is not a
target of the investigation. Lawyers for Rosen and Weissman could not be reached Monday,
but they have previously denied that their clients solicited classified information.
Franklin was accused of leaking information about a classified Pentagon policy paper
"concerning a Middle Eastern country" to a senior executive at the lobbying organization
and his colleague at a February 2003 breakfast meeting. At a separate meeting, in June
2003, he allegedly disclosed to the men classified information that "related to potential
attacks upon U.S. forces in Iraq." The indictment also contends that Franklin provided
secret information to the unnamed foreign diplomat, including information relating to "a
weapons test conducted by a Middle Eastern country."
The indictment portrays Larry Franklin, a 58-year-old colonel in the Air Force Reserve, as
motivated by career advancement as well as by a desire to "advance his own personal
foreign policy agenda".
He and the lobbying executive allegedly discussed how the lobbyist might "put in a good
word for him" so that he might land a coveted position someday on the National Security
Council staff, the indictment alleges.
On another occasion, Franklin allegedly arranged for the foreign diplomat to provide him
with a letter of introduction for his daughter "to aid her in her travels to the Middle
East". On yet another occasion, the diplomat gave Franklin a "gift card", the indictment
alleges.
The indictment insinuates that the men occasionally took pains to conceal their
activities. It describes a March 2003 meeting where Franklin met the two lobbyists at
Union Station in Washington.
"In the course of the meeting, the three men moved from one restaurant to another
restaurant and then finished the meeting in an empty restaurant," apparently in an effort
to avoid appearing suspicious, the indictment said. Franklin also obtained the lobbying
executive's home fax number and said he preferred to send documents there, the indictment
alleges.
The indictment said the lobbying executive viewed Franklin as an important asset,
describing him as a "real insider," according to a telephone conversation that agents
monitored while he was on his way to a meeting with the Pentagon aide.
In another conversation, the two lobbyists allegedly discussed how to handle their new
source, according to the indictment.
"Well, look, it seems to me that this channel is one to keep wide open insofar as
possible", the lobbying executive told his colleague after a meeting with Larry Franklin
in June 2003.
The second lobbyist said he planned to take Larry Franklin to a major league baseball game
in Baltimore.
"Smart guy. That's the thing to do", the executive replied.
http://fairuse.1accesshost.com/news3/latimes100.htm
http://www.jta.org/storage/articleimages/15373.jpg
http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/images/franklin_1.jpg
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/05/05/national/05spy.184.jpg
http://story.news.yahoo.com/photo/050504/480/vakw10105042216/print
Lawrence (larry) Franklin
Part time lecturer of modern World
Department of History
Shepherd College
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Office: White Hall, room 316
email: lfrankli AT shepherd.edu
Tel: 1-304-876-5329
JEWPAC the unstoppable
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/a64eed2014e8f0b6?hl=en
Thank you, Steve Rosen
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/22a1a93f7d2e3d16?hl=en
Larry Franklin wanted to sway policy, not just spill intel
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/dfd7b12218741c7c?hl=en
Why Did Douglas Feith Resign?
Could it have had something to do with the Larry Franklin spy scandal?
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/98008e4100d94d47?hl=en
U.S. Justice Deptartment to indict two AIPAC staffers under U.S. Espionage Act
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/a6bcd638257898d0?hl=en
Franklin admits he disclosed classified information in AIPAC affair
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/c5e27d74d55a2397?hl=en
AIPAC Holds National Meeting Amid Spy Scandal Investigation
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/da2e6463affa4d20?hl=en
Iran analyst faces new charges
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/f0a2ab6296b26690?hl=en
What's 'American' About the American Israel Public Affairs Committee?
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/29450cf06a957810?hl=en
F.B.I. Questions Journalists in Military Secrets Inquiry
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/f01d061d38958d10?hl=en
Who Was Leaking to Whom?
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/7bf566c615968155?hl=en
Israel's Amen Corner silent on AIPAC-Franklin spy scandal
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/d615db5d8344072d?hl=en
More charges to come in Pentagon analyst affair?
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/70f3dd5d61965aa3?hl=en
Pentagon Analyst Charged With Disclosing Military Secrets
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/6a4f42226915dc88?hl=en
Israeli spy in Pentagon arrested
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/f301ecea2a77dba7?hl=en
FBI questions ex-Mossad official in AIPAC probe
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/c7a9541d826c7f83?hl=en
Jew spy ring busted!
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/63539a38fbce711e?hl=en
Two Senior AIPAC Employees Ousted
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/9878d41ac004fb6c?hl=en
AIPAC conference set to open today
http://groups.google.ca/group/soc.culture.iranian/msg/4f7becfb83679837?hl=en