Why would a former aide and analyst send secret government information to others?Ex-FBI Analyst Gets 10 Years In Jail For Spy PlotBy Cliff Montgomery – July 20th, 2007Leandro Aragoncillo was a former intelligence analyst for the FBI. He had worked under two successive vice presidents. And on Wednesday, he received a 10-year prison sentence for passing on secret U.S. documents that he hoped might topple the Philippine government.The 48-year-old Aragoncillo offered a courtroom apology for his actions, adding that he merely was attempting to help Filipinos out of grinding poverty.”I never intended to cause harm or injury to the United States,” he stated.The ambitious Aragoncillo first served as a military aide to vice presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney before becoming an FBI civilian employee at Fort Monmouth, NJ.The former aide and analyst pleaded guilty to four charges in May 2006. The most serious of these charges–conspiracy to transmit national defense information–normally may bring the death penalty to guilty parties. But under Aragoncillo’s plea agreement, the maximum penalty he can be given is 20 years in prison.U.S. District Judge William Walls stated his belief that the Philippine-born Aragoncillo, a naturalized American citizen, had no intention to harm the United States.But he added, “There’s no doubt you did betray a position of trust that very few people are privileged to occupy.”Former Philippine National Police officer Michael Ray Aquino was a co-conspirator in the espionage. His guilty plea last year ended in a deal which spared him a possible life sentence.Aquino, 41, acknowledged having the secret documents which reveal information on America’s confidential intelligence methods and sources, as well as data on terrorist threats to American Defense personnel stationed in the Philippines.Aquino was sentenced on Tuesday to a prison term of six years and four months.Their plan involved the theft of a number of classified defense documents from both the FBI and the White House. Though federal officials obviously would not reveal the nature of the secret information, they have admitted that Aragoncillo had clearance not only to these documents, but to those of other federal agencies such as the CIA.Prosecutors have said that Aragoncillo downloaded 100 or more secret documents from Fort Monmouth’s FBI computer systems between May and August 2005. He apparently emailed at least some of them directly to Philippine government officials. Aragoncillo sent other documents to Aquino in Queens, NY.Authorities arrested the two men in September 2005.Among recipients of the data are former Philippines President Joseph Estrada; Philippine senator Panilo Lacson; and former Philippine House Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella, court documents state. Estrada and Lacson have admitted receiving data from Aragoncillo or Aquino, but deny deliberate wrongdoing.But there may be some interesting background information here, especially regarding Aragoncillo’s accomplice. Aquino had once worked under Lacson as a senior police officer in the Philippines National Police. And it’s been discovered that Aquino fled to America from the Philippines in 2001, in the hope of escaping murder charges there. When his prison term is finished, he’s likely to be sent back to his Philippine homeland.Prosecutors say Aragoncillo had been recruited in 2000 by forces opposed to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. They also say that Aragoncillo began his partnership with Aquino in early 2005.Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
How Necessary Laws Are Killed These Days
Lawmakers generally only fight to protect the things they care about – and all too often, that just doesn’t include the lives of most of their constituents.
