Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Leak Offers Look at Efforts by U.S. to Spy on Israel

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
alp227 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-05-11 08:59 PM
Original message
Leak Offers Look at Efforts by U.S. to Spy on Israel
Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — When Shamai K. Leibowitz, an F.B.I. translator, was sentenced to 20 months in prison last year for leaking classified information to a blogger, prosecutors revealed little about the case. They identified the blogger in court papers only as “Recipient A.” After Mr. Leibowitz pleaded guilty, even the judge said he did not know exactly what Mr. Leibowitz had disclosed.

“All I know is that it’s a serious case,” Judge Alexander Williams Jr., of United States District Court in Maryland, said at the sentencing in May 2010. “I don’t know what was divulged other than some documents, and how it compromised things, I have no idea.”

Now the reason for the extraordinary secrecy surrounding the Obama administration’s first prosecution for leaking information to the news media seems clear: Mr. Leibowitz, a contract Hebrew translator, passed on secret transcripts of conversations caught on F.B.I. wiretaps of the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Those overheard by the eavesdroppers included American supporters of Israel and at least one member of Congress, according to the blogger, Richard Silverstein.

In his first interview about the case, Mr. Silverstein offered a rare glimpse of American spying on a close ally.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/us/06leak.html?pagewanted=all
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
FrenchieCat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-05-11 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
1. 20 months for spying?
is that the usual amount of time one is given? :shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cstanleytech Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-05-11 09:23 PM
Response to Original message
2. So, let me see if I understand this. Alexander Williams Jr the judge imposed a sentence
Edited on Mon Sep-05-11 09:24 PM by cstanleytech
on someone without knowing really what they did and without the evidence but merely took the word of the government that it was a serious case? Perhaps I am wrong but does this judge seem like a complete and utter tool to anyone else here?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Grassy Knoll Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Sep-05-11 10:41 PM
Response to Original message
3. Matt Drudge Is like fox noise...
they quote bloggers, LOL
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
oberliner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-07-11 02:28 AM
Response to Reply #3
6. Apparently so does the NY Times
That's what is cited in the OP.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
classysassy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-06-11 12:32 AM
Response to Original message
4.  Birds of a feather
I thought Israel was our friend and neither country would spy on each other.Sarcasm.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
No Elephants Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-06-11 01:22 AM
Response to Original message
5. IOW, our Judicial Branch has totally abdicated to the Executive Branch.
Edited on Tue Sep-06-11 01:23 AM by No Elephants
Nothing to worry about.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Fri Dec 27th 2024, 05:36 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC