Secrecy News from the Federation of American Scientists Project on Government Secrecy has reported that the trial of defendants Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman, two former officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)is scheduled to begin on or around June 4 in the Eastern District of Virginia. This is an unprecedented case in which the government claim that the Espionage Act could be used to prosecute the unauthorized receipt and transmittal of classified information by private citizens who are not engaged in espionage. This was upheld by a Federal Court last year. The question is did they really spy for Israel or were they being used by the governments of the United States and Israel routinely as a diplomatic "back channel" to convey sensitive information. This is definitely not on the front page of any newspapers. The court has made it very difficult for the prosecution and the defense to do their jobs. The outcome appears to be questionable as more and more restrictions are added on.