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Stewart David Nozette: US Scientist Charged with Espionage

by Scott Wu | October 19, 2009 at 01:34 pm

775 views | 12 Recommendations | 7 comments

Stewart David Nozette, who worked for the US defense department and NASA, has been charged with attempted espionage. Nozette, who once had top security clearance, tried to give classified information to a person he believed to be an Israeli intelligence officer.

Stewart David Nozette, 52, could face life in prison if convicted. FBI agents arrested him on Monday.

Stewart David Nozette tried to give classified information to a person who he believed was an Israeli intelligence officer, the justice department said.

He is expected to appear in a federal court on Tuesday.

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sara star

at 14:33 on October 19th, 2009

Last month, Mr Nozette was contacted by an undercover FBI agent posing as an Israeli intelligence officer, whom he allegedly told he would be willing to regularly answer questions about classified information in exchange for money and an Israeli passport.

Over the course of the next month, the scientist provided letters with answers containing information "classified as both Top Secret and Secret that concerned US satellites, early warning systems, means of defence or retaliation against large-scale attack, communications intelligence information, and major elements of defence strategy", the justice department said.

Mr Nozette accepted cash totalling $11,000.

Maybe he didn't have a good retirement plan.

Hugh Askew

at 14:39 on October 19th, 2009

Well, we know what the Israelis are planning for.

Yuliya Talmazan

at 14:57 on October 19th, 2009

This is going to be a high profile case, no doubt. It will be interesting to see how it unravels.

a211423

at 15:01 on October 19th, 2009

This is disturbing to say the least. I only have one question. The Israeli intelligence officer was not an Isreali but an FBI agent, so does the FBI have knowledge that there are real intelligence officers from Isreal conducting such activities or were their suspicions of Mr. Nozette based on some other surreptitious activities either within the U.S. or obtained from other sources?

The real story here is, of course, why is Isreal doing this to the country that has supported them faithfully for so many years? The Mossad has some explaining to do.

nagba

at 06:21 on October 20th, 2009

if i were them i would just profile the target who he sympathises with, where he would like to be and then act as an agent from the target's favorite country's agent.