U.S. envoy: Unlikely convicted spy Pollard will ever be released

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The United States ambassador to Israel said Monday it is unlikely that convicted Pentagon spy Jonathan Pollard will ever be released, adding that the fact that he has not been executed should be seen as an act of clemency by Washington.

Responding to audience questions during an academic conference, Richard Jones said Pollard's crimes appear especially heinous to many Americans because he was caught spying for a friendly power.

"It came out in the trial very clearly, Jonathan Pollard took money for what he did, he sold out his country," Jones said in comments at Bar-Ilan University. "The fact that he wasn't executed is the mercy that Jonathan Pollard will receive."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/862037.html

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1. U.S. ambassador apologizes for remarks on convicted spy Pollard

Source: Haaretz

Last update - 12:58 22/05/2007

U.S. ambassador apologizes for remarks on convicted spy Pollard

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies

Israel Radio reported Tuesday that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Richard Jones
has apologized for remarks on convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, and said that
they did not reflect his personal views, nor those of the Bush administration.

Jones called the comments "misinformed and misleading."

Jones told a university conference earlier in the day that the United States
had been lenient with Pollard as it did not execute him for spying for Israel.

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The ambassador reiterated his view on Pollard and said, "I certainly do not
personally believe that Mr. Pollard should have received capital punishment-
I was appalled to learn that I had given that impression."

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Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/862325.html

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2. It's always unfortunate when a diplomat slips up and tells the truth. nt