Washington, May 5 (Reuters): A US defence department analyst was arrested yesterday on charges of disclosing top-secret information on potential attacks on American forces in Iraq to two employees of a pro-Israel lobbying group.

Lawrence Franklin surrendered to the FBI and faces charges of disclosing classified national defence information in 2003 to two individuals who sources said worked at the time at the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

The justice department, in announcing the case, said that Franklin, 58, faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Franklin, a defence department employee since 1979, worked on the Iran desk within the office of the secretary of defence at the time the government says he disclosed the information.

The criminal complaint and an accompanying FBI affidavit, filed in federal court in Virginia, said Franklin disclosed classified information, designated top secret and related to potential attacks on US forces in Iraq.