U.S. Ambassador to Israel Being Investigated for Possible Security Violations
ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak calls the investigation of the U.S. ambassador to Israel an internal American matter that has nothing to do with Israel. The state department pulled Martin Indyk's security clearance two days ago while it looks into possible security violations. CNN's Kathleen Koch reports the investigation comes on the heels of other security lapses that have the state department scrambling.</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is U.S. Ambassador to Israel; a trusted confidant of Prime Minister Ehud Barak. But in April, the state department began to examine Martin Indyk's handling of intelligence information. Thursday it pulled his security clearance. The state departments says, quote: "There is no indication of espionage in this matter. At this time, there is no indication that any intelligence information has been compromised." (on camera): Senior U.S. officials tell CNN the ambassador is, in part, being investigated for bringing home classified documents to read. One official explained the duties of the state department's top diplomats often require such long hours that bringing work home is the only way it gets done. (voice-over): But they also say Indyk had been warned numerous times by his supervisors about not handling secure documents properly. Because his clearance has been suspended, Indyk's duties have been passed to the embassy deputy. Indyk responded, saying, quote: "Jeopardizing the national security interests of the U.S. is absolutely abhorrent to me, and I would never do anything to compromise those interests." This action comes after an embarrassing series of security lapses at the state department. In April, a laptop computer with top secret arms data disappeared from the building; and a listening device was found in a conference room and traced to a Russian diplomat. So security has been tightened across the board.</s>MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, SECRETARY OF STATE: Failures to observe basic procedures put our nation's secrets at risk. They damage the credibility and reputation of the department and everyone who works here.</s>KOCH: Indyk's case raises questions similar to those brought up in the cases of CIA director John Deutsche and Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee: What to do when classified U.S. data, even though never passed to anyone else, is mishandled. The state department insists Indyk's case has, quote, "absolutely no implications for the Middle East peace process." But with the White House pushing for a peace deal before the president leaves office, the departure of an influential player certainly doesn't help. Kathleen Koch for CNN, Washington.