Former Nasa scientist charged with spying
US scientist Stewart Nozette charged with attempted espionage, FBI says
Tuesday, 20, Oct 2009 10:17
A US scientist who worked for the White House and Nasa has been charged with attempted espionage, officials have said.
Stewart David Nozette, 52, is believed to have given classified information to a person working as an Israeli intelligence officer, who is not thought to have violated US law.
The FBI said Mr Nozette, who at one point had top security clearance, was arrested yesterday, and charged with "attempted espionage for knowingly and wilfully attempting to communicate, deliver, and transmit classified information relating to the national defence of the United States to an individual that Nozette believed to be an Israeli intelligence officer".
Mr Nozette is expected to appear in court in Washington today, and if found guilty faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
It is believed 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. It is believed he was paid thousands of dollars by the 'Israeli officer'.
In addition to his work at Nasa and the department of energy, Mr Nozette worked at the White House on the National Space Council under George HW Bush in 1989 and 1990.