An intelligence officer, who died in prison last month, "acted independently out of personal interest rather than ideological, nationalist or economic motives," the IDF cleared for publication on Monday.
The military further added that the officer's actions had "severely damaged national security" and that he "was well aware of his action's potential harm to national security, and even tried to hide them."
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The grave of the IDF intelligence officer that died in prison
(Photo: Gil Nechushtan)
An IDF spokesperson said that the investigation into the case of the deceased servicemember was opened following information regarding a serious breach of national security.
He further added that the soldier, who served in a technological unit at the Military Intelligence Directorate, "cooperated in his interrogation and confessed to many of the acts attributed to him."
Investigators also examined the control and supervision protocols in the officer's unit and questioned his commanders, after which the Military Prosecution filed an indictment against the soldier alleging "serious security offenses."
The new information was released after the case was brought before a court-martial to hear on whether to loosen the sweeping gag order placed on all its details.
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Court-martial hearing on gag order placed on death of IDF intelligence officer in prison, June 7, 2021
Ynet and other media outlets have appealed the decision to ban any reporting on the circumstances of the officer's arrest last September, the charges against him and the circumstances of his death.
The soldier's family also appealed Sunday morning to the court-martial in the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, demanding to review the details of the indictment against him, which was dropped after his death.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday that the military would make an effort to find equilibrium between national security interests and transparency to the public following the officer's death, the details of which have been kept under wraps.
"This is an event with security implications. We will find a way to set the record straight," Gantz told his colleagues at the beginning of a faction meeting of his Blue & White party in Knesset. "I understand the feelings around such affairs that lack transparency, but we will work to improve this as much as possible within the limitations of security interests."
A military appeals court said last Thursday that "the officer was not charged with espionage or treason, nor was he in contact with a foreign agent and was not activated by one."
Earlier on Monday, the IDF said that false information widely disseminated online and by foreign media about the officer's mysterious death could impair state security.
The soldier, who served in the Intelligence Corps, was arrested in September 2020 after a Military Police investigation. After being questioned in his unit, the Military Prosecution filed an indictment against him in a court-martial and he was detained in solitary confinement until the end of the legal proceedings against him.
On the night of May 16-17, he was found in serious medical condition and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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A prison cell where an IDF intelligence officer was held on charges kept under gag order
(Photo: Yoav Zitun)
Military sources have recently estimated that the soldier may have committed suicide, but his family claimed that he did not take his own life. Investigators are awaiting the final autopsy results.
The officer's father dismissed the allegations last week, calling them "false."