[Shadow_Group] Fw: FBI Searches Pro-Israel Lobbyists' Office

[shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca]

FBI Searches Pro-Israel Lobbyists' Office
By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
December 1, 2004, 9:34 PM EST
 
WASHINGTON -- FBI agents searched files and served subpoenas Wednesday at
the offices of the major pro-Israel lobbying organization as part of an
investigation into whether Israel improperly obtained classified U.S.
information on Iran.
 
The search at the offices of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
was disclosed in a statement by the organization, which repeated it is
cooperating "in order to get these false and baseless allegations put to
rest fully and swiftly."
 
"As we have said from the beginning, AIPAC has done nothing wrong," the
statement said.
 
The FBI previously searched AIPAC's offices on Aug. 27.
 
Agents also have interviewed two AIPAC employees about whether a Defense
Department analyst, Larry Franklin, gave them classified information that
would up with Israel. Franklin works on Iran and Middle East issues in
the office of policy undersecretary Douglas Feith. Franklin has not
commented on the probe and has not been charged.
 
AIPAC said FBI agents on Wednesday requested and received files related
to those same two employees, who previously were identified -- Steve
Rosen, the director of research, and Keith Weissman, deputy director of
foreign policy issues.
 
The FBI has copied computer hard drives and files from both men.
 
In addition, the AIPAC statement said subpoenas were served by the FBI
requiring four senior AIPAC officials to testify before the federal grand
jury investigating the case. A source familiar with the inquiry
identified the four as AIPAC executive director Howard Kohr, managing
director Richard Fishman, communications director Renee Rothstein and
research director Rafi Danziger.
 
The FBI and Justice Department declined comment.
 
The Israeli government has denied spying on the United States, saying
that meetings between U.S. and Israeli officials are common and that the
two countries share many secrets. Iran, particularly any assessments of
its nuclear ambitions, is of critical importance to Israel's security
interests.
 
Israel said it has imposed a ban on espionage in the United States since
the scandal over Jonathan Pollard, an American caught spying for Israel
in 1985.
 
The AIPAC investigation, which dates to the early 2001 days of the Bush
administration, is being handled by U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty of
Alexandria, Va. No charges have been brought.
 
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-pentagon-spy-probe,0,420<http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-pentagon-spy-probe,0,420>
0520.story

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