Pentagon Analyst Close To Guilty Plea

Sept. 29, 2005 - Reuters

A federal court announced on Thursday that a Pentagon analyst charged with conspiring to disclose classified defense information to two former officials of a pro-Israel lobbying group was scheduled to plead guilty but a source close to the case said no deal had yet been reached.

The federal court where the case is pending said in a statement that the analyst, Lawrence Franklin, was scheduled to plead guilty to "a charge or charges" next Wednesday but did not have any details.

The source familiar with the case said negotiations were continuing but the announcement by the court in Alexandria, Virginia, was premature and there was not yet any deal on a guilty plea.

Last month Franklin pleaded not guilty to five counts of conspiring to communicate classified information. He also has been charged with having classified documents at his home.

The two former officials for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to communicate national defense information provided by Franklin.

The three were due to be tried together on January 3, 2006. The court's statement did not say anything about Rosen or Weissman.

See Also: The Franklin/AIPAC Spy Case Page