ISRAEL'S 'SELECTIVE COOPERATION' IN POLLARD SPY CASE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000605480003-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: January 9, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

.., Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605480003-9
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cooperation' in.
Pollard spy case
Israeli government officialsmaintain
that they became involved in the Iran
arms episode as a favor to the US. They
stress they have done nothing improper.
In the Pollard case, American investi-
gators have received only "selective coop.
eration" from Israeli officials, according
to FBI Director William Webster and John
Martin, chief of the the justice Depart-
ment's internal-security section, Justice
Department officials say their investiga
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
9 January 1987
tion into Israeli spying in the ub is
con-
tinuing, but they have
acknowmdied that.
without Israeli operation, it is jur-
-
likely
paid Fb llthat the ard will Israelis who
trialdirected
Israeli officials say they are cooperat-
ing fully with US investigators. They as-
sert that the spy ring was a rogue oper-
ation organized without the knowledge of
senior Israeli officials.
And they point out thathe alle ed leader of-
the Poll aDV tirt~
Safi Eit, was dis
i:ii asaresr~
missed from his intelli-
But Mr. Eitan was
later named chairman
of the board of state-
owned Israel Chemi-
cals. And Aviem Sella,
who made initial ar-
rangements for Pol-
lard's spying and
played a role in the spy
ring, has been pro-
moted to brigadier gen-
eral in the Israeli Air
Force and assigned
command of a large Is-
raeli air base.
The Eitan and Sella appointments raise
questions about whether the two are be-
ing punished or rewarded for their ac-
tions in the US spy case.
Ironically, according to documents in
US District Court, Eitan is said to have
repeatedly assured Pollard during the spy.
operation that he would be "taim care;
of" if he were caught spying.
Pollard, a former Navy counterterror-
ism analyst, says he was told several
times by Eitan that he should not worry
about being detected by US authorities
Man .
an told Pollard that any legal action by
the US against him
could be "contained,"
according to court
documents.
The Pollard's f is
could not be immedi-
ately determined. But a
Justice Department
spokesman noted, "It is
obvious that Mr., Man
was unable to perform
what he had promised.
Mr. Pollard is sitting in
a prison cell."
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605480003-9
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605480003-9
Some analysts say it
is not uncommon for
senior intelligence. offi-.
cers like Eitan to make
unrealistic promises of
unlimited support
when trying to encour-
age spy recruits to undertake difficult
assignments. They maintain that Eitan
may have exaggerated Israeli influence in
an effort to allay Pbllard's fear of arrest.
A spokesman for the US attorney's
office refused to comment about Eitan's
alleged assertion that he had influence
within the US government to fix criminal
cases. Israeli Embassy spokesman Yossi
Gal also declined comment.
Israeli officials interceded in a US Cus-
toms Service investigation last summer in
which eight Israelis were to appear be-
fore two grand juries investigating an
alleged conspiracy to smuggle cluster-
bomb manufacturing equipment to Israel.
According to a knowledgeable source,
Israeli officials worked through the State
Department's Office of Legal Counsel to
pressure Justice Department officials to
withdraw the subpoenas. In exchange,
Israeli officials pledged cooperation in the
customs probes. As a result, the Israelis
involved may be insulated from criminal
charges, according to legal sources.
Justice Department officials refuse to
comment on the cluster-bomb case. A
spokesman said only that "we have not
caved in on that case at all."
The eight Israelis work in New York
for Israel Military Industries (1MI), Isra-
el's government-owned military procure-
ment firm. IMI is charged with the task of
Purchasing and obtaining military tech-
nology and military-related equipment.
US officials have said the subpoenas
were withdrawn in an effort to prevent a
lengthy legal battle with the Israeli Em-
bassy over whether or not the Israelis
involved were covered by diplomatic im-
munity. But according to the State De-
parUnent's Office of Protocol, only one
offics;t at IMI is entitled to immunity from
US criminal charges.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605480003-9