Classified documents found in former PM's cell
Materials suspected of being classified were seized from Ehud Olmert's cell; the Israel Prison Service is checking whether the materials relate to the book he is writing in prison.
Materials suspected of being classified were seized from the prison cell of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after being discovered on Thursday.
The Israel Prison Service is checking whether the materials are related to the book Olmert is writing in prison, where he is serving time after having been convicted of corruption. The matter was transferred to senior officials in the Ministry of Justice for treatment, and they will consider what to do next.
Thursday, one of Olmert's lawyers visited him in prisons. The documents were seized during that visit. Additional documents were also seized that lacked approval from the person responsible for information security in the Ministry of Defense.
As a result of the incident, that person ordered the investigation of the matter and involved the intelligence services of the Israel Prison Service.
The prisoner's lawyer isued a statement that claimed, "Olmert does not need any authorization regarding his ties to Israel's national security. He never leaked, either during his term or since, anything sensitive to security or intelligence matters that could have harmed the State of Israel."
(Translated and edited by J. Herzog)
