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Good intentions? Kam
Photo: Yaron Brener

Anat Kam convicted of leaking classified IDF docs

In framework of plea bargain, prosecution drops 'intent to harm state security' charge against ex-soldier who stole some 2,000 classified army documents and gave them to Haaretz reporter; sentence apparently won’t exceed nine years in jail

In the framework of a plea bargain, the Tel Aviv District Court on Sunday convicted ex-solider Anat Kam of illegally possessing classified IDF materials and passing them on to Haaretz reporter Uri Blau without authorization.

 

Kam was initially charged with harming state security, but the charge was dropped as part of the plea bargain. It is estimated that the prosecution will ask the court to sentence her to no more than nine years in prison.

 

Following the hearing, Kam said she had admitted to the charges against her.

 


Kam arrives at court (Photo: Yaron Brener) 

 

Kam's attorney, Eitan Lehman, confirmed she admitted to illegally possessing and passing on classified information. According to him, the prosecution agreed that his client had no intention of jeopardizing state security.

 

"There is still some information which the public has not been privy to. I hope this information will convince the court that (Kam's) intentions were good."

 

In January of 2010 Kam was indicted for handing reporter Uri Blau some or all of more than 2,000 classified army documents she had stolen while serving in the office of former Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh.

 

The documents stolen by Kam contained plans of military operations, summaries of discussions within the IDF, deployment and order of battle (ORBAT) of IDF forces, summaries of internal IDF inquiries, IDF situation estimates, IDF targets and more.

 

In September it was reported that a plea bargain was in the works. According to the reports, Kam would be charged with "serious espionage" but without the intent to harm state security.

News of the affair broke out in April 2010, when Kam was working as a reporter for the Walla website.

 

In November 2008 Blau published a report based on documents he received from Kam. The report argued that IDF forces in the West Bank assassinated Palestinian terrorists, allegedly against Supreme Court rulings.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.06.11, 11:00
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