The Jerusalem Journalists Association announced plans for a massive protest this Sunday to decry the decision by the Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein to indict Haartez reporter Uri Blau for possession of classified documents. The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Blau would be charged following allegations which purport Blau leaked documents detailing possible assassinations of Palestinian leaders by Israeli forces, which might be labeled as escape attempts or “failed” arrests. Blau allegedly received the documents from OC Central Command Secretary Anat Kamm. Following his indictment Blau is expected to be charged by the Tel Aviv District Attorney within weeks with aggravated espionage. That charge deems that even though there was no overt attempt by Blau to harm state security with the release of the documents, he had, nonetheless, inflicted damage to several state organizations. Shin Bet, the Israeli Security agency, was consulted by the Attorney General’s office before his decision. The charge carries with it a possible sentence of seven years in prison.
