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| Report: US sailor spied for Israel | |||
| 2006-08-09 | |||
A US Navy sailor, Ariel J. Weinmann, is suspected of spying for Israel and has been held in prison for four months, according to an article published Monday in the Saudi daily Al-Watan. It reported that Weinmann is being held at a military base in Virginia on suspicion of espionage and desertion.
"The US Navy concluded Article 32 proceedings in the case of Fire Control Technician Third Class Ariel J. Weinmann on July 26, 2006," Ted Brown, a media relations officer at the US Fleet Forces Command, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The US Fleet Forces Command is the "convening authority of the case... and will make the decision with respect to what charges, if any, will be referred to a general court-martial." The veracity of Al-Watan's claim that Weinmann is suspected of spying for Israel remains in question, and military and Pentagon spokesmen are remaining tightlipped. A public affairs officer at the Office of Naval Intelligence told the Post that he was unaware of the allegations against Weinmann.
Though the navy's initial press release contained no reference to Israel, Brown stated that more detailed information about the case would be released shortly. | |||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #14 Russia it is: Sources: Navy sailor suspected of spying for Russia From Barbara Starr CNN Washington Bureau Wednesday, August 9, 2006; Posted: 4:34 p.m. EDT (20:34 GMT) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A sailor facing espionage and desertion charges has been held at a Norfolk, Virginia, brig since March, the U.S. Navy said Wednesday. Ariel Weinmann, 21, is suspected of having worked on behalf of Russia, said military sources close to the case. He was likely to have had access to technical manuals and other material on submarine systems, Navy sources said. No one else in the Navy is suspected of having worked with Weinmann, they said. The fire control technician third class, assigned to the submarine USS Albuquerque, attempted on three occasions to pass classified information to foreign agents, the charges against him state. Those incidents occurred in March 2005 in Bahrain; October 2005 in Vienna, Austria; and March 2006 in Mexico City, Mexico, according to the charges. In addition to the espionage allegations, Weinmann also faces desertion charges, which could result in the death penalty. He is accused of deserting in July 2005 during his first tour of duty. A customs agent took Weinmann into custody March 26 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport when he tried to re-enter the United States. The case is the second involving allegations of military spying by Russia. The Defense Department has said it suspects Russia collected information about American intelligence in Iraq from U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar, in 2003. Somebody had better tell me that they have been keeping an eye on this moron and we've been feeding the badguys bad info - because if not, some Admirals need to lose their jobs. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2006-08-09 16:39 |
| #13 I expect all countries to be spying on us allies or not, because I know the US would be spying on everybody else or they better be. |
| Posted by: djohn66 2006-08-09 16:36 |
| #12 No matter how friendly the nation, spying for another country by a serving member of the armed forces should incur the death penalty. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-09 16:11 |
| #11 Nations have permanent interests, not permanent allies. |
| Posted by: Lord Palmerston 2006-08-09 15:18 |
| #10 I would interpret that statement to indicate that Israel is likely neither involved nor the recipient. I most certainly hope that you're right, tw. Sadly, there have already been numerous other pipelines in the past that fed directly back to Israel. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-09 15:02 |
| #9 A Navy official, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the charges, said Wednesday that it is “definitely not Israel.” I would interpret that statement to indicate that Israel is likely neither involved nor the recipient. The Navy alleges that Weinmann tried to pass the classified information to representatives of a foreign government multiple times: in March 2005, before he allegedly deserted, “at or near” Manama, Bahrain; in October 2005 in Vienna, Austria; and this past March in Mexico City. In fact, it sounds like the gentleman was shopping the information around for buyers. "Spy on spec." so to say. Thanks for finding that, Steve. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-09 14:57 |
| #8 However valid Israel's battle against terrorism might be, they continue to maintain a pattern of deceit and betrayal against American interests (espionage, sale of arms to China) that will, one day, come back to haunt them. For how often in history that the Jews have been hung out to dry, an "us against them" on their part is somewhat understandable. However, the USA has proven itself, time and again, to be Israel's staunchest ally and deserves better treatment as such. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-08-09 14:38 |
| #7 He just got lost, took a wrong turn |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-08-09 13:39 |
| #6 From the Navy Times: August 09, 2006 Sailor charged with espionage NORFOLK NAVAL STATION, Va. — The Navy has charged a sailor who allegedly deserted his submarine last year with trying to pass secret documents contained in a stolen laptop to an unspecified foreign government — possibly more than one. Fire Control Technician 3rd Class Ariel J. Weinmann, 21, has been charged with three counts of espionage, as well as desertion, larceny, failure to obey a lawful order, copying classified information and destruction of military property. The Navy has not said which nation or nations are involved. A story in Wednesday’s Jerusalem Post alleged that one of the countries involved is Israel. A Navy official, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the charges, said Wednesday that it is “definitely not Israel.” The case was heard July 26 in an Article 32 hearing by an investigating officer who will prepare recommendations for Adm. John Nathman, commander of Norfolk, Va.-based Fleet Forces Command, the convening authority for the case. Nathman will decide which charges, if any, will be referred to court-martial. That hearing was not publicized or open to the press. If tried and convicted of espionage, Weinmann could be executed, according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Weinmann, who joined the Navy in July 2003, was assigned in October 2004 to the attack submarine Albuquerque, then located at New London Submarine Base, Conn.. The Navy says he deserted the sub in July 2005, taking a government-owned laptop computer that apparently contained data classified as “confidential” and “secret,” according to the charge sheets supplied by Fleet Forces Command. The Navy alleges that Weinmann tried to pass the classified information to representatives of a foreign government multiple times: in March 2005, before he allegedly deserted, “at or near” Manama, Bahrain; in October 2005 in Vienna, Austria; and this past March in Mexico City. Weinmann was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on March 26. He’s been held in the Norfolk Naval Station brig ever since. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-08-09 13:18 |
| #5 Sounds like Russia might be in the mix. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-08-09 13:11 |
| #4 Note the source: a Saudi newspaper. Saudi Arabia does not have a free press. Skepticism is indicated. |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-08-09 12:48 |
| #3 Would the Israelis be so stupid as to do this? You must be kidding. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-08-09 11:52 |
| #2 Hang him. if guilty by the balls |
| Posted by: RD 2006-08-09 11:40 |
| #1 Hang him. Would the Israelis be so stupid as to do this? |
| Posted by: Penguin 2006-08-09 11:27 |