Saturday, July 25, 2015

Bad Idea: Convicted Spy Jonathan Pollard Could Be Freed Soon After Nearly 30 Years In Prison.


Convicted spy Jonathan Pollard may soon be released from prison, U.S. News & World Reports reports.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jonathan Pollard, an American who was convicted of spying for Israel in a sensational espionage case that inflamed public sentiment, could be released from federal prison within months, his lawyer and the Justice Department said Friday.

Pollard becomes eligible for parole in November, on the 30th anniversary of his arrest on charges of selling classified information to Israel. He will be presumptively eligible for release unless the U.S. Parole Commission determines that he has a record of bad behavior in prison or is likely to commit new crimes.

U.S. officials say they're unlikely to oppose his parole. But the Justice Department says it expects Pollard to serve out his entire sentence. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/07/24/convicted-spy-pollard-could-be-freed-from-prison-soon

You can also read my 1999 Philadelphia Inquirer piece on why Pollard should not be released from prison via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2014/04/dont-do-it-mr-president-my-philadelphia.html

And you can read my Counterrorism magazine piece on Ronald J. Olive, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agent who investigative Pollard via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2014/04/a-look-back-at-jonathan-pollard-spy-case.html

4 comments:

  1. I suspect a bone being thrown to Israel because of the Iran "deal." Might there be a spy-exchange deal we will never know about in this story? In any case, the longer the Obama administration sits in Washington, the more confused (and worried) I become about their game-plan. So, let me consider this: Pollard might go free but Hillary Clinton with impunity violates classified material control laws. I keep thinking about what would have happened to me as a CT if I had put classified material in plain language correspondence to someone. Yikes!

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  2. R.T.,

    I agree that if Pollard is released, it is a "bone" to the Israel, but it it foolish to think the Obama administration can pacify the Israelis with Pollard.

    The Israelis are concerned with their very existence, so Pollard is a small bone at that.

    As for a spy exchange, the Israelis don't hold any US prisoners, as far as I know.

    I agree with you concerning Clinton. In my many years of doing security work in the Navy and the Defense Department, I found that the higher up one goes, the less these officials are concerned with security requirements. They think they are above it.

    Clinton, like some past political appointees, can get away with violations that work-a-day guys would be hung for. T'aint fair!

    Paul

    PS: Did you by chance read my magazine piece on the NCIS special agent who helped take down Pollard.

    If not, you might be interested to learn that the damage Pollard did to U.S. security was far worst than most people know.

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  3. Paul, I will try to find and read your magazine article; point me in the right direction.

    BTW, perhaps Pollard will not survive long after his release. Hey, strange things can happen in the word of espionage.

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  4. R.T.,

    My two pieces are linked above...

    I do not look forward to hearing Pollard's whiny voice or reading what this shit has to say once he gets out of prison. The Israelis will, I believe, soon tire of him.

    Paul

    Paul

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