Last update - 00:00 10/01/2008
Ex-MI chief could face probe over leaking name of agent
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
The State Prosecutor's Office is considering recommending a criminal investigation against former Military Intelligence chief, Eli Zeira, for allegedly leaking the name of Mossad agent Ashraf Marwan, and other state security violations.
According to a team of investigators headed by attorney Bat-Or Kahanovitz of the department of special assignments at the State Attorney's Office, there is evidence proving Zeira leaked the Marwan's name to journalists, authors and historians.
In a statement Wednesday, the Justice Ministry said "the matter is being evaluated by the ministry. At this stage, it is not possible to provide further details."
Marwan's body was found near his London apartment in late June 2007, two weeks after a case of slander Zeira filed against former Mossad chief Zvi Zamir was resolved through arbitration by former Supreme Court justice Theodore Or.
The State Attorney's Office began investigating Zeira after a complaint was filed four years ago by Zamir and two former officers from the intelligence section of the IDF, Brigadier General Amos Gilboa and Colonel Yossi Langotsky.
The intelligence officers provided the AG with documents alleging that Zeira had leaked the name of the Egyptian agent.
In the course of their investigation, the State Attorney's Office team questioned Mossad and Military Intelligence officers, and acquired a variety of relevant documents.
In an earlier instance, five years ago, journalist Shlomo Nakdimon also filed a similar complaint against Zeira - but then attorney general Elyakim Rubinstein decided not to order an investigation against him.
One of the reasons for Rubinstein's decision was opposition by the Mossad, which was concerned that any discussion of the matter could cause a security breach and seriously undermine the principle of preserving the identity of agents.
Kahanovitz and her staff decided a year ago to recommend a police investigation, however AG Mazuz opted to freeze the procedure until Or's arbitration was completed.
In June 2007, Or ruled that Zamir had not slandered Zeira when he accused him of leaking the identity of the agent, and concluded that Zeira had indeed leaked the information. The name of Ashraf Marwan was specified as that of the Mossad agent.
Two weeks later, Marwan was found dead and the police in Britain are continuing their investigation into the incident.
After Marwan's death, Zamir said he had no doubt he had killed himself because Zeira leaked the fact that he was a Mossad agent prior and during the Yom Kippur War.
Marwan was the son in law of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In 1969 he offered his services to the Mossad, and after he was turned down the first time, he was recruited. During the months prior to the outbreak of war, he warned his Mossad handlers that a war was imminent.
The Mossad kept in touch with Marwan until 1978, at which point he moved to Europe, turned to business and became quite wealthy.
The Agranat Commission of Inquiry into the intelligence failure in the 1973 war concluded that Zeira had failed as Military Intelligence Chief, and he resigned.
During the 1990s, Zeira began to systematically claim that the head of the Mossad at the time was also responsible for the intelligence failure because Marwan was a double agent who gave Israel false information. His claims were rejected by various committees investigating the allegations.