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US state department suspends Indyk`s clearance
The US ambassador to Israel is under FBI investigation for suspected security violations, closing a critical channel to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak during difficult peace negotiations.
The US ambassador to Israel is under FBI investigation for suspected security violations, closing a critical channel to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak during difficult peace negotiations.
Apparently the first American ambassador stripped of his security clearances, Martin Indyk is denied access to classified documents and even discussions with Barak or other Middle East figures, a senior US State Department official said Saturday. By their nature, such conversations are considered classified.
President Bill Clinton endorses the State Department's handling of the case and does not think the Indyk situation will affect the U.S. peace efforts, said White House spokesman Joe Lockhart, traveling with Clinton in California. While the investigation continues, Indyk, like all visitors at the State Department, must be escorted personally by a department official to go beyond the agency's lobby, cafeteria and a few other nonsensitive areas.
The two-time ambassador to Tel Aviv and recent head of the State Department's Near East Bureau "can still talk to people, but he can only have coffeehouse conversations," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. A law enforcement official, also speaking anonymously, said Indyk is alleged to have mishandled work-related classified materials, including taking some home.
Indyk's indiscretion involved the use of an unclassified, government-owned laptop computer to prepare while in transit memorandums about discussions with foreign leaders, said a source outside the State Department who is familiar with the investigation. Once entered into the State Department system, the documents were classified. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Indyk also was accused of removing classified briefing books to his office to prepare for meetings. "I regret that my trying to do the best possible job under very difficult conditions has led to the temporary suspension of my security clearances," Indyk said in a statement. "Jeopardizing the national security interests of the US is absolutely abhorrent to me, and I would never do anything to compromise those interests."
Bureau Report
Apparently the first American ambassador stripped of his security clearances, Martin Indyk is denied access to classified documents and even discussions with Barak or other Middle East figures, a senior US State Department official said Saturday. By their nature, such conversations are considered classified.
President Bill Clinton endorses the State Department's handling of the case and does not think the Indyk situation will affect the U.S. peace efforts, said White House spokesman Joe Lockhart, traveling with Clinton in California. While the investigation continues, Indyk, like all visitors at the State Department, must be escorted personally by a department official to go beyond the agency's lobby, cafeteria and a few other nonsensitive areas.
The two-time ambassador to Tel Aviv and recent head of the State Department's Near East Bureau "can still talk to people, but he can only have coffeehouse conversations," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. A law enforcement official, also speaking anonymously, said Indyk is alleged to have mishandled work-related classified materials, including taking some home.
Indyk's indiscretion involved the use of an unclassified, government-owned laptop computer to prepare while in transit memorandums about discussions with foreign leaders, said a source outside the State Department who is familiar with the investigation. Once entered into the State Department system, the documents were classified. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Indyk also was accused of removing classified briefing books to his office to prepare for meetings. "I regret that my trying to do the best possible job under very difficult conditions has led to the temporary suspension of my security clearances," Indyk said in a statement. "Jeopardizing the national security interests of the US is absolutely abhorrent to me, and I would never do anything to compromise those interests."
Bureau Report