Spy plot thickens..........

Agent's lover called in ASIO
February 26, 2005
From:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12374995-2,00.html


Israeli President Moshe Katsav who arrives in Australia on Monday.
A FEMALE adviser in the Prime Minister's department who became a lover of expelled Israeli spy Amir Laty blew the whistle on him to ASIO, The Daily Telegraph can reveal today.
The 27-year-old Brisbane woman held a position in the highly sensitive office of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Yesterday, as a diplomatic row with Israel began to fester, its President Moshe Katsav, made the unprecedented step of approaching The Daily Telegraph to stress the affair would not affect his forthcoming visit to Australia or relations with this country.

But his own government in Israel is so concerned about Laty's motivations in Australia, the junior diplomat has been forced to undergo lie-detector tests during an interrogation.
Meanwhile, it has also emerged that while Laty had been pursuing other women in Canberra he had a fiancee back in Israel.

Laty left Australia three days after Christmas amid fears over his behaviour and relationships with women in high places.
The Daily Telegraph has previously revealed his friendship with the daughter of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and another liaison with a female Defence Intelligence Organisation staffer.
Laty was engaged to an office worker at Israel's Foreign Ministry before he left for his posting at the Israeli embassy in Canberra.
"She was convinced they would be married," The Daily Telegraph was told.
"We knew he was something of a ladies man.
"Had he gone to San Francisco or New York or London, this would never have happened. But because he was in a small place like Canberra, he was much more likely to meet a woman working for the government - even in a key department."

It was in Canberra he developed another relationship, this time with a 27-year-old University of Queensland graduate and international policy adviser from the sensitive Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Her identity is known to The Daily Telegraph but we have chosen not to reveal it.
She said last night she reported her liaison with Laty, following protocol for her high security level.
She was later interviewed by Australian authorities about whether she felt Laty may have been using her to gain information.

The former Brisbane woman, who moved out of her Canberra home two weeks ago, declined to comment yesterday when asked about the relationship.
"I really have nothing to say about this," she said.
Last night her boss, the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister, Dr Peter Shergold, made it clear the woman is not guilty of any wrong doing.
"In fact, she did everything right," he said.

On Laty's return to Israel, he has been interrogated by Foreign Minister director-general Ron Prosor personally. He oversaw a polygraph test over allegations Laty was spying for secret information from Canberra.

Laty has confirmed his friendship with Mr Ruddock's daughter Caitlin but Israeli authorities remain unconvinced he is a spy.
However, they are angry ASIO has so far refused to reveal its reasons for expelling him from Australia.