WASHINGTON, 7 October 2005 — Wednesday was a double-barreled migraine day at the White House involving mind-boggling spy stories of immeasurable damage. And both stories — take another aspirin — involve “friendly” allied countries: the Philippines and Israel.
Spy Item One: A former White House staff member allegedly used his top-secret clearance to steal classified intelligence documents.
ABC News, which broke the story, said Leandro Aragoncillo, 46, a former US Marine most recently assigned to the staff of Vice President Dick Cheney, was charged with stealing classified information about Philippine leaders sending it to current and former Philippine officials.
According to the FBI complaint, Aragoncillo had access to the bureau’s database, downloaded 101 documents, at least 30 of which were marked “Top Secret,” and shared several of them with Michael Ray Aquino, a former Philippine police officer living in New York City.
US authorities discovered Aragoncillo’s alleged crime after he tried to intercede in the case of Aquino, who was arrested in March for overstaying in the United States.
In addition, a Philippine opposition figure, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, has admitted he received some information from Aquino, but down-played the value of the material.
Aragoncillo is a 21-year veteran of the Marine Corps. He became an FBI intelligence analyst last year after leaving the Marines. Aragoncillo was caught while working for the FBI at an intelligence center at Fort Monmouth, N.J.
Both Aragoncillo and Aquino were arrested Sept. 10 at their homes and ordered held without bail following an appearance before a federal magistrate. Aquino was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in New Jersey.
Since his arrest, officials say Aragoncillo has started to cooperate and has admitted to lying while working on Cheney’s staff.
Philippine President Arroyo’s allies have called for an investigation into the opposition’s involvement in the espionage case, saying Arroyo’s adversaries had provided the money to pay off Aragoncillo.
Both the FBI and CIA are calling it the first case of espionage within the White House in modern history.
Spy Item Two: a Defense Department analyst pleaded guilty to passing government secrets to two employees of a pro-Israel lobbying group, while admitting — for the first time — he also directly gave classified information to an Israeli government official in Washington.
Lawrence Franklin told a judge in US District Court in Alexandria, Va., on Wednesday that he met at least eight times with Naor Gilon, the political officer at the Israeli Embassy before being recalled — many noted with interest at the time — last summer.
The guilty plea and Franklin’s account appeared to cast doubt on longstanding denials by Israeli officials that they engage in any intelligence activities in the United States.
Franklin, 58, a specialist on Iran, pleaded guilty to two conspiracy counts and a third charge of possessing classified documents.
The Defense Department suspended Franklin, who said in court that he now works as a waiter and bartender and at a racetrack.
He faces up to 25 years in prison at his sentencing Jan. 20. As part of the plea agreement, Franklin has agreed to cooperate in the larger federal investigation.
