Arrest of Jonathan Pollard - November 21, 1985

On November 21, 1985, United States Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard was arrested for espionage. He was accused of providing classified information to Israel, which marked a significant intelligence breach involving two allied nations.

Background

Jonathan Jay Pollard was born on August 7, 1954, in Galveston, Texas. He later became a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy. During his tenure, Pollard gained access to a wide array of sensitive documents. Motivated by his ideological support for Israel, Pollard began supplying classified information to the Israeli government in 1984.

Espionage Activities

Pollard’s espionage activities included the unauthorized copying of thousands of top-secret documents. These documents contained sensitive information related to the military capabilities of various Middle Eastern nations, Soviet Union activities, and U.S. surveillance operations. Pollard provided these documents to his Israeli handlers at the Office of Scientific Liaison, a unit within the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Arrest and Legal Proceedings

On November 21, 1985, U.S. authorities, following a six-month investigation by the Naval Investigative Service, apprehended Pollard outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Pollard, along with his wife Anne, had tried to seek asylum at the embassy but was turned away.

Pollard was charged with espionage under the Espionage Act. On June 4, 1986, he pled guilty to selling top-secret U.S. security documents, part of a plea agreement to avoid a trial that could compromise U.S. intelligence methods and sources.

Sentencing and Incarceration

In March 1987, Jonathan Pollard was sentenced to life in prison. The severity of his sentence was unprecedented for an American convicted of spying for an ally, reflecting the enormous scale of the security breach. His then-wife, Anne Pollard, was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in the espionage.

Impact and Aftermath

The case of Jonathan Pollard strained U.S.-Israeli relations and created a long-lasting diplomatic controversy. Over the years, multiple appeals and requests for clemency were made on Pollard’s behalf, but these were consistently denied by successive U.S. administrations.

After serving 30 years, Pollard was granted parole in November 2015, with specific restrictions placed on his movement and activities. These restrictions were subsequently lifted, allowing him to move to Israel in December 2020.

Conclusion

Jonathan Pollard’s arrest and subsequent conviction spotlighted the complexities of espionage between allied nations. It served as a critical reminder of the importance of safeguarding national security interests and the significant consequences of breaches in this domain.