Israel’s Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced on Wednesday his intention to indict Haaretz journalist Uri Blau for possession of classified Israel Defense Forces documents.

According to a press release by the State Prosecutor’s Office, Blau was in possession of thousands of military and top-secret documents, which were stolen from the IDF by Anat Kamm, an Israeli woman who was convicted in February of collecting, holding and passing on classified information without authorization.

Although the charges include the terms “severe espionage,” Blau is not charged with an espionage offense.

The justice department said that the decision was made “after taking into account all of the relevant considerations, including the need to restrain the enforcement policy in order to maintain the Israeli press as a free press which fulfills its duty.”

“However,” the statement read, “the attorney general believes – based on the positions… of the State Prosecutor’s office, the Shin Bet security service and Israel Police – that this case is an extreme one in terms of the severity of Blau’s actions.”

For more, go to Haaretz.com

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