"New documents presented in federal court in Washington, D.C. reveal deep ties (more than was known) between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Dr. Stewart David Nozette, an American astronomer accused of spying for Israel.
The media here covered his arrest on October 19, 2009 and then interest waned, though the American media are still monitoring the case.
Two attorneys in the counterespionage unit of the U.S. Department's of Justice National Security division, Deborah Curtis and Heather Schmidt, presented documents found on the scientist's computer. One document, titled "Proposed Operations for 2005-2006," referred to the need to carry out "a penetration of NASA," the U.S. space agency.
Another document, according to the prosecution, shows Nozette attempted to obtain highly confidential material by using his high-level security clearance and infiltrating other people's computers. " Ha'aretz
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And now for something different…
The hearing referred to in the Ha'aretz story above occurred on 22 January 2010. This case is still a live issue and will go to trial sometime in the next few months if the case is not somehow suppressed by political action.
I am particularly struck by the fact that Nozette traveled several times to Israel without reporting this to his security officer. pl
NASA long penetrated by Israel! Also the Israeli astronaut we all know was killed in a shuttle disaster.
NASA has never bothered to protect itself against penetration from foreign agents. Hey the next group on the moon before 2020 and first colony will be Chinese. That is major major effort going on now. Seeking the high ground?
WRC
“Stewart David Nozette (born May 20, 1957) is an American scientist and astronomer. He has worked for the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Defense, and NASA”
NASA? This guy worked on all kinds of defense secret projects. pl
I wonder how much media coverage he would get if he was Chinese, Indian, or God forbid a muslim????
Now I hear their is a proposal to “privatize” NASA? Came out this week.
The entire nation seems up for sale. They (the ubiquitous “they”) are hollowing us out it seems to me.
jonst,
Yes, “they”….
Paul Emden’s “Money Powers of Europe in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries” (London: Sampson, Low) gives useful historical background and context.
Watch for a plea bargain and Nozette to shuffle off the stage as quietly as possible?
Walrus
I am deeply suspicious that such a thing will happen. The troglodytes are feeling their way around the edges of this I am sure. pl
Knowing the J-10/Lavi story who needs enemies with such friends?
Israel actively targets American defense companies and DoD facilities, and they don’t even try to hide it. A few years ago, I attended an AIAA course on low observable technology. There were a group of Israeli students from IAI. During breaks in the class they would ostensibly take pictures of each others, but with other attendees’ in the background so the would get everybody’s face in their pictures. I don’t trust these people.
All: Sorry of topic:
Inquiring minds mindful of the health of the USA economy may wish to read the following:
http://cleantechnica.com/2010/01/26/us-must-transition-to-clean-power-by-2012-or-miss-the-chance/
> NASA? This guy worked on all kinds of defense secret projects. pl
He certainly had a respectable set of clearances.
From the criminal complaint filed against him (www.4law.co.il/fbi1910.pdf):
“held a DOE Q clearance from 1990-2000, which involved insight into all aspects of nuclear weapons programs. Held TS/SI/TK/B/G clearance 1998-2006,… Held at least 20+ SAP [special access program clearances]… from 1998-2004.”
SI = Special Intelligence, meaning mostly NSA SIGINT-derived stuff.
TK = Talent Keyhole, meaning imagery product from overhead platforms
B = BYEMAN, meaning technical information on NRO spysats
G = GAMMA, meaning Realy Good SIGINT
A slight caveat is that several of those have subcompartments/clearances, so, for example, having SI/G doesn’t automatically give access to all GAMMA COMINT.
Still, Nozette was in a position to have learned a lot of legitimately sensitive stuff.
Rep Ron Paul and the future of USA:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24509.htm
5 min video
Pan,
You aren’t the only one who doesn’t trust these people. Last year I did a couple of temp gigs with a defense consultant in Leavenworth, KS. Each time I was there the office Security Officer complained, well, really bitched, about an Israeli who had been to their office. Apparently he would come in, take off his shoes and go to their bank of phones in the hallway, call Israel and talk Hebrew loudly for $600.00 phone calls. She and the office manager had the phones taken out because of this guy. Last time I was there I was babysitting some workers putting in three security doors so this guy or anyone like him couldn’t wonder around their office in future.
And in related news:
“NASA Adds Israeli Technical Expertise To Lunar Science Research”
http://www.moondaily.com/reports/NASA_Adds_Israeli_Technical_Expertise_To_Lunar_Science_Research_999.html
It may be a Good Thing – I’m all for international cooperation on Science – but I see that I’m not “the only one who doesn’t trust these people”. Caveat: framing the problem as “these people” could indicate an unhealty conflation of “all Jews” with “people who act as agents of a foreign power”. I prefer to be careful about that distinction.
After looking back briefly at some of the court documents filed in the Nozette attempted espionage case, I think the second country he visited, in addition to Israel, was India.
Also, at this time the trial is set for 22 February 2010 and the next status conference in court is to be 17 February at 9:00 a.m.