Three held on suspicion of leaking classified IDF information online
Minor is among suspects who allegedly posted confidential materials on social media for internet cred
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Three suspects were arrested for allegedly leaking classified military information on social media, security officials announced Monday.
According to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces, Shin Bet security agency and Israel Police, two civilians and one conscripted soldier have been in custody since May 24 over social media posts that apparently contained classified information. The two civilians were indicted on Monday morning at the Lod District Court, while the soldier is to be charged in a military court.
The suspects were accused of working together to release the information to gain credibility or popularity on the internet, and had not been pressured by a bad actor nor acted for monetary gain, according to authorities.
One of the civilian suspects is an intelligence soldier in reserves, and the second is a minor. The adult civilian suspect was charged with obtaining, collecting and holding confidential information, as well as offenses related to transferring such confidential information.
The minor was similarly charged with receiving confidential information from the adult suspect and the soldier, sharing it with acquaintances, and posting some of it publicly.
The IDF said the soldier was suspected of providing and publicizing classified information, and he will be formally charged at a military court following a hearing.
Further details related to the case were barred from publication.
In response, the head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, said he would appoint a general to conduct a “thorough” check of the unit’s conduct regarding information security and to formulate recommendations on the matter.
