UPDATE: SPIES FOR ISRAEL IN U.S. ADMINISTRATION

FBI agents on Friday copied the computer hard drive of a senior staffer at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who has been questioned in relation to the case of a Pentagon official suspected of turning over a classified document either directly to Israel, or via the pro-Israel lobby group. Sources in Washington said the hard drive was that of Steve Rosen, AIPAC's director of foreign policy issues. Read here for more

The Anti-Defamation League, one of the largest Jewish organizations in North America, has officially called on the Bush administration to immediately appoint a special counsel to investigate the circumstances of leaks to the American media regarding suspicions of an alleged Israeli "mole" in the Pentagon."The one clear fact that can be agreed upon is that there was a malicious and targeted leak that is more damaging than the actual allegations of Israeli spying - allegations that in all likelihood are baseless," said Abraham Foxman, the national director of the ADL, in an exclusive interview to Haaretz. Read here for more

FBI investigators briefed key White House and congressional officials in recent days on their investigation of a Defense Department analyst suspected of turning over classified policy documents to Israel, officials said on Tuesday. The briefings, which began on Friday and continued over the weekend, included top officials at the White House's National Security Council, as well as the Pentagon, the State Department and the key congressional intelligence committees. Read here for more.

The US deputy defence secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, has been briefed on the FBI's investigation into a Pentagon analyst suspected of passing US secrets on Iran to Israeli officials.Media reports over the weekend have forced the FBI to accelerate its probe into Larry Franklin, a former attache to the US Embassy in Israel and a staffer in the office of Douglas Feith, the defence department's undersecretary for policy. AIPAC has acknowledged that the FBI has interviewed some of its employees but denies any wrongdoing. "We've cooperated in this investigation. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said yesterday that meetings between Israeli embassy employees and US officials are commonplace, and that the two governments routinely share secrets.Israeli officials confirmed a senior Israeli diplomat identified as Naor Gilon, head of the Israeli Embassy's political department in Washington, has met with Mr Franklin. Mr Gilon told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that he did nothing wrong but was concerned that he may no longer be able to work in Washington because of the investigation. Read here for more

OFFICIALS today confirmed a senior Israeli diplomat in Washington met several times with a Pentagon analyst being investigated by the FBI on suspicion he passed classified information on Iran to Israel.The Israeli diplomat has been identified as Naor Gilon, head of the political department at Israel's embassy in Washington and a specialist on nuclear weapons proliferation. Read here for more

With the light of day shining brightly on AIPAC's spy mission for Israel in the Pentagon, will one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington just curl up and blow away? If only. Read here for more

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