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Stewart David Nozette.
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Last update - 14:23 20/10/2009
U.S. arrests ex-NASA scientist over bid to spy for Israel
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press
Tags: Mossad, NASA, Israel News 

A former NASA scientist was arrested on Monday for offering to pass along classified information to an FBI agent posing as an Israeli intelligence officer.

Stewart David Nozette, who is credited with helping discover evidence of water on the moon, was arrested by federal authorities on Monday.

The Justice Department said Nozette, 52, of suburban Chevy Chase, Maryland, was charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to communicate, deliver and transmit classified information to an individual he believed to be an Israeli intelligence officer.
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The complaint does not allege that the government of Israel or anyone acting on its behalf violated U.S. law.

In Jerusalem, where the story broke late at night, Israeli government officials had no immediate comment.

Nozette was arrested Monday by FBI agents. He is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court in Washington on Tuesday.

In an affidavit supporting the complaint that was unsealed Monday, FBI agent Leslie Martell said that on Sept. 3, Nozette received a telephone call from an individual purporting to be an Israeli intelligence officer. The caller was an undercover FBI agent.

Nozette agreed to meet with the agent later that day at a hotel in Washington and in the subsequent meeting the two discussed Nozette's willingness to work for Israeli intelligence.

Nozette allegedly informed the agent that he had, in the past, held top security clearances and had access to U.S. satellite information, the affidavit said.

Nozette also was alleged to have said he would be willing to answer questions about this information in exchange for money. The affidavit said the agent explained that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, would arrange for a communication system so Nozette could pass on information in a post office box.

Nozette agreed to provide regular, continuing information and asked for an Israeli passport, the government alleged.

The affidavit then alleged this sequence of events:

* Sept. 4. Nozette and the agent met again in the same hotel. The scientist allegedly said that while he no longer had legal access to any classified information at a U.S. government facility, he could, nonetheless, recall classified information by memory. Nozette allegedly asked when he could expect to receive his first payment, saying he preferred cash amounts under ten thousand so he would not have to report it. (U.S. anti-money laundering laws require that all transactions of $10,000 or more must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service, the tax collection agency.)

Nozette allegedly told the agent, "Well, I should tell you my first need is that they should figure out how to pay me ... . They don't expect me to do this for free."

* Sept. 10. Undercover FBI agents left a letter in the designated post office box, asking Nozette to answer a list of questions about U.S. satellite information. The agents provided a $2,000 cash payment. Serial numbers of the bills were recorded.

* Sept. 16. Nozette was captured on videotape leaving a manila envelope in the post office box. The next day, agents retrieved the sealed envelope and found, among other things, a one-page document containing answers to the questions and an encrypted computer thumb drive.

One answer contained information, classified as secret, that concerned capabilities of a prototype overhead collection system.

* Sept. 17. Agents left a second letter in the post office box with another list of questions about U.S. satellite information. The FBI also left a cash payment of $9,000. Nozette allegedly retrieved the questions and the money the same day.

* Oct. 1. Nozette was videotaped leaving a manila envelope in the post office box. FBI agents retrieved it and found a second set of answers. The responses contained information classified as both top secret and secret, involving U.S. satellites, early warning systems, means of defense or retaliation against large-scale attack, communications intelligence information, and major elements of defense strategy.

Nozette had worked in varying jobs for the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space, and in the National Space Council in the president's office in 1989 and 1990.

He developed the Clementine bistatic radar experiment that purportedly discovered water on the south pole of the moon. He worked from approximately 1990 to 1999 at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, where he designed highly advanced technology.

At the Department of Energy, Nozette held a special security clearance equivalent to the Defense Department top secret and critical nuclear weapon design information clearances. Department of Energy clearances apply to access to information specifically relating to atomic or nuclear-related materials.

Nozette also held top offices at the Alliance for Competitive technology, a nonprofit corporation that he organized in March 1990. Between January 2000 and February 2006, Nozette, through his company, had several agreements to develop advanced technology for the U.S. government.

Since the arrest and conviction of Jonathan Pollard for spying for Israel, all Israeli officials, including intelligence officers, are instructed to avoid any activity that could be interpreted as information harvesting in the United States, and to reject any approach by American or other citizens who seek to volunteer and provide intelligence or espionage services for Israel.

In 2005, two former pro-Israel lobbyists with AIPAC were charged with conspiring to communicate national defense information to unauthorized personnel, in violation of the 1917 Espionage Act. The indictment said the classified material included information about the al-Qaida terror network, the bombing of the Khobar Towers dormitory in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel, and U.S. policy in Iran.

The case against Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman was eventually dropped.

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      1.   Anything to do with 23:30  |  Chris Linthwaite 19/10/09
      2.   Wierd investigation 23:36  |  John 19/10/09
      3.   NOT spying for Israel 23:37  |  Israelette 19/10/09
      4.   Get ready-Here comes the usual feeding frenzy of anti-Israel mob. 23:38  |  ready & waiting 19/10/09
      5.   Similar to Entrapment? 23:40  |  Manuel 19/10/09
      6.   You may ask why? 00:05  |  Nate 20/10/09
      7.   "Good News" 00:13  |  JustinTime 20/10/09
      8.   One down, how many more to go? 00:17  |  Bazmann 20/10/09
      9.   #4 suspicion warranted 00:26  |  M 20/10/09
      10.   to Chris Linthwaite & American 1&2 01:05  |  SP 20/10/09
      11.   LINTHWAITE what has this got to do with Netanyahu or Israelis? 01:29  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      12.   #2: Can you read? Israel had nothing to do with this 01:40  |  Aharon 20/10/09
      13.   nothing to do with Israel? 02:16  |  hollingsworth 20/10/09
      14.   Nozette, Shmozette... the $ trap could work on anyone. 02:20  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/10/09
      15.   Excellent comment, John # 3. 02:24  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/10/09
      16.   This is bad for Israel 02:25  |  Daniel 20/10/09
      17.   U call Entrapment...my foot 02:27  |  Ram 20/10/09
      18.   Great post, excellent questions, Israelette # 4. 02:27  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/10/09
      19.   #4 Isaelette 02:41  |  fred 20/10/09
      20.   Just go to Tel Aviv and walk into the Mossad buiding? 02:55  |  Russell 20/10/09
      21.   "DANIEL" what exactly has Israel done here? 03:27  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      22.   Laying a trap to make someone innocent into someone guilty... 03:27  |  Joey 20/10/09
      23.   HOLLINGSWORTH unless he is spying for Israel it has NOTHING to do 03:29  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      24.   CNN has more info 03:35  |  AB 20/10/09
      25.   hell... 03:36  |  edgar 20/10/09
      26.   #2;If you only knew how to read 03:37  |  Cynic 20/10/09
      27.   The most interesting bit 03:38  |  Colin Wright 20/10/09
      28.   daniel, daniel 03:39  |  edgar 20/10/09
      29.   Spying 03:51  |  Per Larsson 20/10/09
      30.   [CENSORED] but may I complain? 04:22  |  Mark Lincoln 20/10/09
      31.   to Fred#13 04:26  |  Ilya 20/10/09
      32.   Entrapment and wont hold in court 04:31  |  leor 20/10/09
      33.   #1--nothing to do with anything 04:47  |  Paul Freedman 20/10/09
      34.   3 Israelette 05:30  |  Hugh 20/10/09
      35.   If I was the Israeli Govt 05:35  |  Simon 20/10/09
      36.   For Mark Lincoln and your assumptions. 05:38  |  Fortuna Benmayor 20/10/09
      37.   No allegation of involvement by the Israeli government... 05:41  |  Maureen Ann 20/10/09
      38.   Red China has the technology to blow US satellites from their orb 05:41  |  Tito 20/10/09
      39.   wait a minute 05:52  |  oc 20/10/09
      40.   according to supporting affidavit 05:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      41.   #23, Mark, Israel has nothing to prove 05:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      42.   #22 Per Larson - Sweden 06:11  |  *BEN JABO 20/10/09
      43.   Washington`s hands are tied 06:24  |  mariapalestina 20/10/09
      44.   To leor #25 `Entrapment and won`t hold in court` 07:25  |  Colin Wright 20/10/09
      45.   Israel does Spy on the US no? 07:32  |  Ezra 20/10/09
      46.   u.s. jews 07:41  |  bashar 20/10/09
      47.   The real Traitors are in Congress 07:55  |  middleclass no more 20/10/09
      48.   Clear Case of Entrapment 08:19  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 20/10/09
      49.   Smart of Israel 08:21  |  MiddleStanian 20/10/09
      50.   "No Israeli espionage or intelligence gathering in friendly state 08:37  |  Daniel 20/10/09
      51.   Its not the story but the headline.... 08:42  |  Edward 20/10/09
      52.   T #1, not weird at all 08:50  |  Uri 20/10/09
      53.   Many, many "nervous" posts here...... 08:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/09
      54.   according to the supporting affidavit 08:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      55.   US politicians who get paid by AIPAC are more dangerous. 09:00  |  Michael 20/10/09
      56.   Spies in the USA 09:03  |  Hoover 20/10/09
      57.   #23, Mark, there is no allegation of Israeli spying 09:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      58.   EZRA all that" common knowledge" and no arrests.Why? 09:27  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      59.   DANIEL Has Israel got the bomb?Was the USA the ONLY source of 09:38  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      60.   #33, Edward 09:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      61.   A 52 year old ex NASA scientist. 10:07  |  Stephen. 20/10/09
      62.   Spy case 10:54  |  Bronson 20/10/09
      63.   Spying for Israel ? 10:56  |  Roo 20/10/09
      64.   ROO or the FBI got their nose out of joint.They lost.If FBI had 11:43  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      65.   Based on the story, there is no real "case" of anything here... 11:58  |  Dr. L. Brnd 20/10/09
      66.   # 58 and the FBI 13:37  |  J H 20/10/09
      67.   chevy chase area of maryland is full of israeli spies and agents 13:47  |  former CC resident 20/10/09
      68.   Oye vey, the plot is thickening... 14:01  |  Esther 20/10/09
      69.   A matter of timing! 14:05  |  Colin 20/10/09
      70.   #59;Roo, Actually your wrong! 14:17  |  Mark from Georgia 20/10/09
      71.   At least the caught the traitor before he could do more damage 14:22  |  Joseph Steinberg 20/10/09
      72.   Story Is Very Strange 14:37  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/10/09
      73.   Re Chvy Chase # 66 14:40  |  Realist I 20/10/09
      74.   Why is the U.S. doing this now? 14:52  |  allan 20/10/09
      75.   PETER SM #64 14:56  |  Roo 20/10/09
      76.   Entrapment 15:06  |  Michael N 20/10/09
      77.   PETER SM #64 15:47  |  Roo 20/10/09
      78.   Roo #70-Thank You So Much for Info and Clarification 16:25  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/10/09
      79.   Cipora, I agree this was ENTRAPMENT 16:26  |  Ibrahim 20/10/09
      80.   Mark from Georgia 17:04  |  Roo 20/10/09
      81.   Yaakov Sullivan 17:13  |  Roo 20/10/09
      82.   Entrapment shmentrapment, another "would be" spy was caught.. 17:18  |  S 20/10/09
      83.   Entrappment? 17:23  |  Mark Lincoln 20/10/09
      84.   No evidence of Israeli involvement 17:26  |  Mark Lincoln 20/10/09
      85.   In the words of Daffy Duck 17:29  |  utagawa 20/10/09
      86.   interesting (no, not really) 18:02  |  edgar 20/10/09
      87.   # 84 Mark Lincoln, I`m afraid you don`t get the point...... 18:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/09
      88.   US arrest ex-Nasa 18:24  |  Elias 20/10/09
      89.   Farm Subsidies 20:25  |  Mark of Lewiston 20/10/09
      90.   ROO" onerous burden of proof" sound like a strong case? 20:52  |  PETER SM 20/10/09
      91.   #82, S, do not convict before trial 21:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      92.   #79, Ibrahim 21:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/09
      93.   I spy 21:33  |  Edgar 20/10/09
      94.   US spies 21:37  |  Max 20/10/09
      95.   PETER SM. Too foolish to be embarassed. 21:51  |  Roo 20/10/09
      96.   PETER SM. too foolish to be embarrassed? 22:45  |  Roo 20/10/09
      97.   The thug is in the eye of the beholder 23:05  |  B. Holder 20/10/09
      98.   Working together 23:38  |  Arnold 20/10/09
      99.   Entrapment 00:51  |  Michael N 21/10/09
      100.   PETER SM. too foolish to be embarrassed? 00:52  |  Roo 21/10/09
      101.   He said `I thought I was working for (Mossad) already` 02:08  |  Dekel 21/10/09
      102.   10-1 he HAD already contacted the israelis 04:12  |  eric 21/10/09
      103.   To Mark Lincoln #84 `No evidence of Israeli involvement` 05:09  |  Colin Wright 21/10/09
      104.   seems like a presidential pardon is in order here 05:12  |  vivian lewis 21/10/09
      105.   #82, S, you ought not convict someone without a proper trial 05:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/10/09
      106.   And from Newsweek... 07:37  |  Colin Wright 21/10/09
      107.   eric 92 You read Le Carre? Good work...good odds too. 08:13  |  S 21/10/09
      108.   I think Israel may be off the hook 17:32  |  WHG 21/10/09
      109.   #87; Swiss Dino, maybe that is the point. 12:53  |  Mark from Georgia 22/10/09
      110.   #22 Seems nearly right 21:02  |  Bachore 22/10/09
      111.   Spying 23:28  |  The Teacher/Instruct 31/10/09
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