Congress Wants Info on Security Case

W A S H I N G T O N, Sept. 24 -- In the wake of the disclosure that the State Department has suspended the U.S. ambassador to Israel’s security clearance, Congress is demanding to know more about the ambassador’s alleged security breaches.

However, from what some senators have already heard about the investigation into Martin Indyk’s handling of classified material, he may have difficulty ever resuming his post as the U.S. representative in Israel.

“If this was proven to be true in this investigation then he would serve the country well by stepping down,” said Sen. Rod Grams, R-Minn., who is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

That action could complicate the already faltering Middle East peace process. This is Indyk’s second tour as U.S. Ambassador to Israel and he is especially close to Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

Material Dealt With Mideast

It is the mishandling of classified material concerning the Mideast that is now being investigated, according to sources.

For many years, say the sources, Indyk was “sloppy” with documents while at home or travelling, using an unclassified laptop for classified work.

The State Department says it does not believe any espionage was involved, a point underscored by another member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“There is no allegation, that I’m aware of, of misuse of any classified information,” said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.

The Indyk affair is one of a string of recent U.S. security embarrassments, from a laptop computer disappearing at the State Department, to a Russian eavesdropping device found inside a conference room, to the security violations of former CIA director John Deutch.

“This seems to be endemic to this administration,” said Sen. Chuck Hagel , R-Neb., another Foreign Relations Committee member. “I don’t know if that’s incompetence, or what it is, but the next president of the United States is going to have to tighten up.”