Israeli diplomat and suspected spy linked to Ruddock's daughter

Israeli diplomat and suspected spy linked to Ruddock's daughter AM - Friday, 18 February , 2005 08:00:00 Reporter: Catherine McGrath TONY EASTLEY: But first, to Canberra. ISRAELI EMBASSY ANSWERING MACHINE: Shalom, you have called the embassy of Israel. The embassy is closed for Australian and Jewish holidays. For urgent medical emergencies only please contact Mr Amir Laty in 040837365. TONY EASTLEY: The answering machine at the Israeli Embassy in Canberra this morning, which still lists Amir Laty, the Israeli diplomat at the centre of a spy scandal is the after hours contact for consular matters. It's been revealed that Mr Laty, the suspected Israeli spy was invited to the Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's house for Christmas lunch by Mr Ruddock's youngest daughter, Caitlin. The Israeli diplomat was Second Secretary at the Israeli Embassy in Canberra. Mr Laty never made it to the Christmas lunch because the Government began moves to expel him. Today neither government will comment about the reasons for his expulsion. He was expelled just after Christmas, although the Israeli Embassy in Canberra still has to update its out of hours phone message, as we heard. Joining me now is our Chief Political Correspondent, Catherine McGrath. Catherine McGrath, what's the relationship between Caitlin Ruddock and this man from the Israeli Embassy, Amir Laty? CATHERINE MCGRATH: Well, Tony, that's really a matter of speculation this morning. The two reportedly met in Beijing. Now, Mr Ruddock's office is saying this morning simply that any acquaintance that Mr Laty had with the daughter of the Attorney-General had no bearing on his departure from Australia. They won't comment on how close that relationship allegedly was. Amir Laty is accused of many things, as you know. The stories about his expulsion have been doing the rounds for several weeks now. Now, he was either a spy sent here by Israel who met two jailed Mossad agents in New Zealand, or he was effectively a womaniser with a very active social life in Canberra, maybe both, maybe neither of those things. But he came to the attention of the Australians and was expelled from Australia just after Christmas. The Australian Government, of course, though, now has to deal with the security implications of reports across the country on the front of every newspaper that Caitlin Ruddock, the daughter of the Attorney-General, had some sort of friendship with Amir Laty, invited him home for Christmas, but that invitation never went forward, and he was expelled from the country just after Christmas. TONY EASTLEY: Now Catherine McGrath, what about the Opposition? What is it saying about this affair? CATHERINE MCGRATH: Well, the Opposition isn't saying very much either. It's a very sensitive matter, of course. Now, the Opposition has been briefed by ASIO, so they are obviously restricted now in what they can say. I spoke a short time to Kevin Rudd and he wouldn't disclose the details of his briefing. KEVIN RUDD: Well, on the substance of this matter, or this case, Catherine, I can't go to the detail of it at all. This matter concerning the Israeli diplomat in question is a sensitive matter of national security, and therefore we have been briefed as an opposition by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and we are required to respect the confidentiality of that briefing. So I can't go to the detail of what this man has said or others may have said about this matter. CATHERINE MCGRATH: However the political implications, the diplomatic implications for Australia you can comment on. KEVIN RUDD: Well, the problem which arises is that any question about diplomatic impact goes to the circumstances surrounding this individual's case. That's why I'm reluctant to comment more broadly as well. These are sensitive matters, and the Opposition is privileged to obtain national security briefings from ASIO, I'm not about to be in a position of breaching the undertakings we've given to ASIO. TONY EASTLEY: Kevin Rudd there. Our Chief Political Correspondent Catherine McGrath is still on the line. Catherine, what, if anything, is the Israeli Government or Embassy saying about this? CATHERINE MCGRATH: Well Tony it won't surprise you to learn they're not saying anything either. I spoke this morning to the Deputy Head of Mission Ms Orna. She said that the embassy has no official comment on this, that Mr Amir Laty is back in Israel, as we know, and they won't talk about the reasons for his expulsion. But she was at pains to point out that bilateral relations between Australia and Israel are strong and that this situation hasn't impacted upon that at all. But they're dealing, of course, with two scandals, the Israelis, because it's now been revealed also that Amir Laty's replacement, a Mr Arye Scher has been linked to a child sex scandal in Brazil when he was posted there in the year 2000. He was cleared of wrongdoing but sanctioned in Israel, and there's moves by the Jewish community here to stop him coming to Australia. TONY EASTLEY: Our Chief Political Correspondent Catherine McGrath.

Source

Quote:

But they're dealing, of course, with two scandals, the Israelis, because it's now been revealed also that Amir Laty's replacement, a Mr Arye Scher has been linked to a child sex scandal in Brazil when he was posted there in the year 2000. He was cleared of wrongdoing but sanctioned in Israel, and there's moves by the Jewish community here to stop him coming to Australia.

We have enough home grown peadophiles thanx without specialists moving in. Thats one less. Shame he did'nt get caught here. We could have set our Australian Special Operations Group onto him --------->Link