Posted on 01/20/2006 11:51:44 AM PST by NormsRevenge
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A former Pentagon analyst who gave classified information to an Israeli diplomat and two members of a pro- Israel lobbying group was sentenced Friday to more than 12 years in prison.
Lawrence A. Franklin, 59, had worked with top Pentagon officials, including former undersecretary of defense for policy Douglas Feith, and has expertise on Iraq and Iran. He pleaded guilty in October to three felony counts in exchange for three other counts being dropped.
In sentencing Franklin, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III said the facts of the case led him to believe that Franklin was motivated primarily by a desire to help the United States, not hurt it.
The 12-year, 7-month sentence was on the low end of federal sentencing guidelines.
Franklin said at his plea hearing in October that he did not intend to harm the United States and that he was motivated by frustration with U.S. policy in the Middle East when he gave classified information to the diplomat and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
He said he received far more information from the Israeli diplomat than he ever disclosed.
The two former AIPAC members, Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman, have also been charged and are scheduled to go to trial in April. Their lawyers have argued the two were engaged in routine lobbying work and their discussions with Franklin are protected under First Amendment guarantees of free speech.
Franklin will not serve his prison term until after the government's prosecution of Rosen and Weissman, and prosecutors may seek a reduction of Franklin's sentence if they believe his cooperation warrants it.
The judge said Friday that Franklin believed the National Security Council was insufficiently concerned with the threat posed by an unspecified Middle Eastern nation. Franklin thought leaking information might eventually persuade the Security Council to take more serious action, he said.
While the Middle Eastern country was not named in the court record, sources and the facts of the case point to Iran.
Ellis said he viewed Franklin's case differently than a case involving information leaked to the Soviets at height of the Cold War.
"But not different to the extent of excuse. Not at all," Ellis said.
Franklin at one time worked for Feith, then the Pentagon's No. 3 official, on issues involving the Middle East. During a court appearance last year, Franklin said he would occasionally be questioned directly by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former top Pentagon official Paul Wolfowitz on policy issues.
As a result, Franklin said, he sometimes took classified information home to stay up to speed. One of the charges to which he pleaded guilty was unlawful retention of classified national defense information.
Franklin admitted that he met periodically with Rosen and Weissman between 2002 and 2004 and discussed classified information, including information about potential attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq.
Rosen and Weissman would subsequently share what they learned with reporters and Israeli officials.
Rosen was a top lobbyist for Washington-based AIPAC for more than 20 years, and Weissman was the organization's top Iran expert. AIPAC fired them in April and says it has cooperated with the investigation.
Lawrence A. Franklin, 58, of Kearneysville, W.Va., leaves the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Va., after a hearing on in this May 4, 2005, file photo. Franklin, a former Pentagon analyst who gave classified information to an Israeli diplomat and two members of a pro-Israel lobbying group was sentenced Friday to more than 12 years in prison. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, Files)
Pathetic.
Agreed.
Rusell Tice
"As a result, Franklin said, he sometimes took classified information home to stay up to speed. One of the charges to which he pleaded guilty was unlawful retention of classified national defense information."
Was this the charge that he had permission to take home docs to his home in "Maryland" but not to his new home in "West Virginia". I remember that, it seemed Monty Pythonesque at the time.
So when can we expect JAY ROCKEFELLER indicted and arrested for the felony of opening his big mouth and giving our enemies classified info?...along with being a traitor against America. (I think turbin's another one that needs to be indicted and arrested for the same act...expect he didn't go to the middle east giving them a heads up so they could move the WMD's into Syria.)
He should have just told the NY Times- and written a book
Never. As official representatives of our foreign enemies, Democrat Senators have diplomatic immunity from prosecution. ;)
Hence, I have reserved judgment on him, even though he is clearly waging a mistaken campaign now against the Administration.
What if he was dead-bang right on about the Chinese espionage of his cohort...and he became "marked" for ameliorative attention by the moles?
Perhaps the subsequent 'crazy' conduct was because they had fed him something to discredit himself? Meth is reported to permamently damage personalities for example. I'm sure there a wide pharmacopia that can accomplish this...without taste or other blatant observables.
She was cleared, and then he launched new allegations. Then, a Dept of Defense psychiatrist who has screened hundreds of DoD officers and civilian employees diagnosed him as "paranoid."
That is enough evidence for me to judge him as a nut, deranged, or vindictive.
LORAL! Bernie! Guide them Chinese 'incoming' directly to the Klintoon home....
Many real moles also survived inquiries.
I don't doubt that Tice isn't all there now...but perhaps that isn't his fault.
Colleague to Tice: How would you like some of my special cookies? I baked them just for you...
The importance to the PLA of having assets placed within the DIA and NSA is just beyond all reckoning...and should be regarded with the highest of concern. Not sloughed off. A perfect illustration was the way that the Clintons and Reno sloughed off the Wen Ho Lee debacle by scape-goating the counterintelligence professionals as anti-Chinese "racists."
OK, prove to us that you are not a ChiCom spy sent to disrupt the conservative movement.
"disrupt the conservative movement"
How can you disrupt something that isn't happening? Have you noticed FReeRepublic.coms response to the BARRETT REPORT?
Put a club to stomp the Dims, in the hands of a Bush Bot and what do they do? Drop it like it was a snake.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1561002/posts?page=215#215
There's a reason for the non-response, and it isn't the Bush-bots.
And just how does concern about Chi-Com threats equate to "disrupt(ing) the conservative movement"?
You probably also would have just as perversely reversed the burden of proof and said the same thing about Whittaker Chambers (if you were old enough...which you aren't), or perhaps still say them about David Horowitz and Marvin Olasky.
Tice purportedly spotted "by the book" evidence of mole espionage behaviour...explicitly on behalf of China. Not just any old foreign threat. We can't, being on the outside of the DOJ or the NSA really know how thorough, if at all, they investigated. Or perhaps they KNOW she is a spy...and they keep her fed disinformation. Or perhaps the upper echelon is compromised. Keep in mind that a raft of Xlinton-appointees is still in place and continuing to burrow in.
In my estimation, Notra Trulock is a true patriot...and a hero. What say you? Does he have to "prove" he is not "sent to disrupt the conservative movement."
And, btw, my ancestors are Scottish.
One of the more seriously bruited about Chinese Moles apparently goes under the code name "Ma" or "Horse" in Chinese. H'mmmmm.....Behold a Pale HORSE????
So you prove you're not.
Here is some appropriate readings for you before you start ducking for cover:
Return to  |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Several countries, including China, have collected extensive nuclear and other sensitive information from the U.S. government that has "undercut U.S. policy, security and competitiveness,'' according to a previously secret American intelligence community report.
The 1998 report by the CIA and five other agencies said "losses are extensive'' at the besieged Energy Department, and include "classified nuclear weapons design information to the Chinese'' as well as declassified and unclassified material to China and other countries.
The report predates the congressional Cox Report, released last year, which concluded that the transfer of satellite and other technology to China, during and prior to the Clinton administration, harmed national security.
While the agencies "did not conduct a damage assessment of the information lost, individual cases clearly demonstrate that such information has saved countries substantial time and money and has undercut U.S. policy, security and competitiveness,'' said the report, published in a new book on Chinese espionage.
The report, which covers activities prior to November 1998, said Energy Department records show more than 250 known or suspected intelligence officers visited or were assigned to Energy facilities under various programs.
The U.S. intelligence community, working with the department, must "do more to gain a full understanding of the nature and extent of foreign targeting of DOE's unique scientific knowledge base,'' the report said.
Some of the information was simply downloaded from the Internet, while some was stolen, the report said.
Since 1995, the FBI has been investigating the suspected loss of U.S. nuclear warhead data to China, based on information found in documents provided by a defector.
That led to the investigation of Wen Ho Lee, a Taiwan-born researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Lee pleaded guilty to one count of improperly transferring nuclear secrets to a portable computer, but he was never charged with spying for China.
The intelligence report was one of more than 50 pages of documents, many of them classified, published in "The China Threat,'' by Bill Gertz, who writes about defense and national security for The Washington Times.
Three pages in the book carry the notice: "At the request of the Central Intelligence Agency, the publisher has withdrawn a classified report that was to have appeared on this page.''
Bill Harlow, CIA spokesman, said Gertz "did approach us and we were able to convince him to leave several of the documents out. But we would have preferred that none were published.''
One document says China will soon have enough short-range missiles to blanket Taiwan. Another says China is converting medium-range bombers to tankers so it can refuel planes in midair and extend its military reach. Yet another document proposes that the United States provide advanced space technology to China in exchange for not selling missile technology to Iran and Pakistan. Gertz said this idea was withdrawn after it became public knowledge.
AP-ES-11-03-00 1730EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- China had at least 37 spies concentrating on ferreting out U.S. nuclear arms secrets in the mid-1990s and the effort has been "very successful'', according to a secret U.S. intelligence report.
The report was published in a newly released book, "The China Threat'' by Washington Times reporter Bill Gertz, and also details espionage against the United States by Russia, Japan, France, Israel, India and other countries.
The book says that in the early 1990s the FBI came across evidence China had spies inside the U.S. government, including one "burrowed'' in the intelligence community.
Intercepted communication between the Chinese embassy in Washington and Beijing suggested the agent, code-named "Ma'' -- horse in Chinese -- was supplying classified defense information, the book said. But the FBI never found the mole.
The book includes extensive excerpts from a U.S. intelligence report titled "Foreign Collection Against the Department of Energy: The Threat to U.S. Weapons and Technology,'' which describes how various countries targeted U.S. nuclear secrets.
It includes information up to Nov. 6, 1998, just months before the China spying scandal erupted publicly in early 1999, and said China had obtained highly classified nuclear weapon design information.
More than 250 known or suspected intelligence officers from 27 countries visited or were assigned to various Energy Department facilities in the five years up to 1998, it said.
"Russia and China had the largest intelligence presence with 141 and 37 officers, respectively,'' the report said.
China's nuclear stockpile was deteriorating and so it targeted U.S. information related to nuclear weapons design, the report said. "This effort has been very successful, and Beijing's exploitation of U.S. national laboratories has substantially aided its nuclear weapons program,'' it said.
CHINA JAPAN "ADEPT''
China and Japan were "very adept'' at collecting scientific and technological information using people such as scientists, academics and businessmen, the report said.
Japan targeted U.S. nuclear labs for information on sensitive technologies through the Japan External Trade Organization, it said.
China, France, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia and Taiwan ''are known to intercept U.S. satellite communications, and, in many cases, have extensive capabilities to intercept other communications,'' the report said.
Russia mainly sought U.S. nuclear weapons secrets that involved state-of- the-art technologies, the report said.
France had a record of exploiting legitimate access to U.S. businesses and government institutions to collect information and commonly sought information beyond the parameters of joint agreements, it said.
"India has emerged as a dangerous intelligence threat'' and has a well- developed and aggressive intelligence collection capability for U.S. secrets on advanced military and civilian technology, the report said.
Taiwan has "a substantial intelligence presence in the United States'' and focuses its spying efforts on the United States and China, the report said.
South Korea has a "major intelligence presence'' in the United States and expanded collection of nuclear technology secrets during the 1990s, while Iraq pursued information on U.S. technologies from other countries, the report said. Some documents were not published at the request of the CIA and National Security Agency (NSA), and instead blank pages were left in the book. Those included NSA reports on China's sale of a chemical weapons factory to Iran and how China helped Iran develop its missile program, the book said.
Fears of Chinese espionage fueled an investigation into Taiwanese-born Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee, who was eventually charged with 59 counts of mishandling classified information.
He was never charged with spying and was freed from jail in September after pleading guilty to one count of downloading nuclear weapons design secrets to a non-secure computer.
REUTERS Reut21:08 10-31-00
BEIJING, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China dismissed allegations in a book by a Washington Times reporter about Chinese spying on U.S. nuclear secrets as "sheer fabrication'' on Thursday and accused the author of still living in the Cold War era.
A newly released book, "The China Threat'' by Bill Gertz, alleges Beijing had 37 spies ferreting out U.S. nuclear secrets in the mid-1990s and includes extensive excerpts from a U.S. intelligence report.
"This kind of report by the Washington Times is a sheer fabrication with ulterior motives and we are strongly dissatisfied with it,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi told a news conference.
"There are still some people in the United States who maintain a Cold War mentality. For many years they have fabricated many rumours slandering China,'' he said.
"Many rumours have already collapsed in the face of facts.''
The book says that in the early 1990s the FBI came across evidence China had spies inside the U.S. government, including one "burrowed'' in the intelligence community.
Intercepted communications between the Chinese embassy in Washington and Beijing suggested the agent, code-named "Ma'' -- horse in Chinese -- was supplying classified defence information, the book said. But the FBI never found the mole.
Fears of Chinese espionage fuelled an investigation last year into Taiwanese-born Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee, who was eventually charged with 59 counts of mishandling classified information.
He was never charged with spying and was freed from jail in September after pleading guilty to one count of downloading nuclear weapons design secrets to a non-secure computer.
"We demand that those who have cooked up the so-called 'Chinese spying case' recognise the trend of the times and immediately stop these acts of attacking China,'' Sun said.
REUTERS Reut04:21 11-16-00
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900+ FBI Raw Files in Hitlery's hot little hands.
...........
"And just how does concern about Chi-Com threats equate to "disrupt(ing) the conservative movement"? "
It could, in some inscrutably inscrutable Chinese fashion.
"You probably also would have just as perversely reversed the burden of proof and said the same thing about Whittaker Chambers (if you were old enough...which you aren't), or perhaps still say them about David Horowitz and Marvin Olasky."
I'm sorry, Paul, but you've already reversed the burden of proof--you stated that the fact that the target of Tice's allegations was cleared TWICE was not convincing, unless the U.S. government turns over highly classified information on its counterintelligence investigation techniques to you (which, BTW, is exactly what a ChiCom spy would want to get ahold of).
"Tice purportedly spotted "by the book" evidence of mole espionage behaviour...explicitly on behalf of China. Not just any old foreign threat."
So Tice claimed. There is real reason to doubt this claim, mostly because it is remarkably fact-free, and because it is coming from a guy who echoes Democrat talking points in perfect lock--or goose--step.
So far, you have proven only one thing: your guilt.
You see, using Tice's logic, this is how it works:
If you confess, you're obviously guilty.
If you say nothing, you're obviously guilty.
If you deny the charge, you're obviously guilty.
If you filibuster with a cut-and-paste of a news article (in violation of copyright--which shows that you have the same contempt for intellectual property that your masters in Beijing have), and then make a false allegation, you're obviously guilty.
If you demand access to classified government information, you're obviously guilty.
So, in the end, you have conclusively proven your guilt according to the Tice standard.
"In my estimation, Notra Trulock is a true patriot...and a hero. What say you? Does he have to "prove" he is not "sent to disrupt the conservative movement." "
Well, the testimonial of a self-proven traitor to the United States (namely, you) is hardly a warm endorsement of the man, is it?
OK, if you've read this far . . . all of that was sarcasm.
And, on a more serious note, one of the surest ways to cover your tracks in espionage is to (a) accuse your co-workers of your own misdeeds, and then (b) act as if you're totally off your rocker if the investigation looks like it might be heading towards you.
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