Minister Arden asked the GSS chief to investigate what sensitive substances were transferred from the police to the company, and whether they leaked abroad • In the National Cyber ​​Array, investigations are underway for an investigation

Will the Fifth Dimension affair soon become a security affair and not just a criminal one? Minister of Public Security Gilad Arden demands that the General Security Service launch a security investigation, fearing that he leaked sensitive information from the police to senior officials of the Fifth Dimension, headed by MK Benny Gantz, chairman of Blue and White.

Likud demands: "Criminal investigation against Gantz following the report's findings"

Beyond the criminal investigation decided by State Attorney Eldad last week to investigate the company's engagement led by MK Gantz and the police, there has long been concern that sensitive and sensitive information transferred from the police to the fifth dimension has been passed on to foreign policy entities.

Minister Arden, who demanded a criminal investigation into the affair and answered in the affirmative, now requires GSS chief Nadav Argaman to also launch a security investigation to investigate what sensitive substances have been transferred from the police to the company, and whether these materials have been found to be passed on to other entities without authority.

The main concern, apparently, stems from the fact that against the company's main investor, the oligarch Viktor Wexelberg, who is very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, opened a US investigation into the alleged Russian intervention in the US presidential election.

Israel Today has also learned that the National Cyber ​​Array has already begun conducting preliminary investigations for its investigation, to the extent that sensitive information about Israeli citizens has indeed leaked from the company to foreign entities.

"Intellectual Property Not Saved"

It is estimated among the people concerned that in the coming days, the Cyber ​​Authority will require information from the police about the material it has provided to the Fifth Dimension, its contents, scope of information and the manner in which it was transmitted.

In a letter sent yesterday by Arden to Crimson and head of the National Cyber ​​Arrangement, Yigal Ona, the Minister wrote: "I appeal to you to request your urgent examination, due to serious concern that sensitive and classified information from the Israeli police was disclosed to private entities that are not under surveillance or control, and may be used against Israeli citizens. ".

Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon

In his letter, Arden mentions the state comptroller's report released last March, which pointed beyond the wrongful attachment of the company to the police - even on this issue.

"The report detailed serious deficiencies in the procurement procedures carried out by the police, and in particular in the engagement process with the Fifth Dimension Company for the implementation of the 'Big Data' mega project. As part of the pilot for communication between the parties, the company was given access to police databases for the purpose of using the data contained in these databases as part of the product development, "Arden clarified.

However, the Minister of Public Security notes that "the company was shut down and the project did not eventually come to fruition, and the State Comptroller ruled that the police were not doing enough to maintain its" intellectual property ", including the data and raw information made available to the company."

Millions data

According to Arden, who is requesting a comprehensive examination of the call, Argan manages police with databases containing classified and sensitive information both on the personal and the security side, on millions of Israeli citizens: DNA, Fingerprint, Criminal, Open Case, Intelligence Database , A database of communications, a database of wiretaps, a body of video cameras from a body camera, a video camera from a public space camera and other highly sensitive information. "

In addition, Arden noted in his letter the decision of Deputy State Attorney Dan Eldad to launch a criminal investigation into the case.

"The company has not been tested at all"

"This investigation that I am requesting now," Arden stated, "will be conducted in relation to the circumstances of the engagement and, presumably, on suspicion of misleading the police and misrepresentations by the company, and other suspicions. At the same time, it is clear that the police investigation will not address the concern I raised above ".

He added and summarized his letter to the Chief of the ISA, arguing that "the fifth dimension was not examined at all by the Police Information Security Unit despite its access to the data and owned by foreign entities."

In the meantime, a complaint was filed this week to the Defense Export Security Division of the Ministry of Defense against the Fifth Dimension Company. According to the wording of the complaint, the company acted to export security technologies without the approval of the Defense Export Control Division, in fact contrary to the alleged law.

According to the Security Export Control Law, equipment that is "dual-use" is not to be sold, that is, technology that has both civilian and security uses, "unless licensed by the competent authority." It is also prohibited to "transfer security knowledge in any way, including orally - from Israel to Israel, or to anyone who is not an Israeli citizen or to a foreign corporation."

The complaint filed by Lavi lists alleged evidence that the Fifth Dimension firm had contacts to sell its technology to overseas entities, thereby allegedly breaking the law.

For example, the December 2017 presentation of the company, which reached the organization, indicates that the company had business contacts with a number of foreign security bodies, including the Kenya Police, the Slovenian Police and the Bulgarian Police.

Earlier this week, journalist Arel Sgt. Addressed the Ministry of Defense on the issue, saying that "the Fifth Dimension Company is not registered as a security exporter in the Security Export Control Division (AFI), as are its employees or managers. Furthermore, according to the complaint, the company did not register Products in the Security Export Control Division.

Blue and White: "Respect the Law"

In response to these comments, a blue-and-white list reads: "Respect the law enforcement system that will do its job faithfully. The company has followed the required procedures and guidelines."