Stewart Nozette story in Ha'aretz

"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

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1144093.html

Comments

[William R. Cumming]

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?

[Patrick Lang]

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

[Tony]

I wonder how much media coverage he would get if he was Chinese, Indian, or God forbid a muslim????

[jonst]

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.

[Clifford Kiracofe]

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.

[walrus]

Watch for a plea bargain and Nozette to shuffle off the stage as quietly as possible?

[Patrick Lang]

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

[Balint Somkuti]

Knowing the J-10/Lavi story who needs enemies with such friends?

[Pan]

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.

[N. M. Salamon]

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/

[Allen Thomson]

> 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.

[N. M. Salamon]

Rep Ron Paul and the future of USA:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24509.htm
5 min video

[Jackie]

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.

[elkern]

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.

[robt willmann]

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.

[curious]

1. Elbit system bought part of GD in the 90's. From this time on, Israel owns huge chunks of aircraft radar, fire control, and avionic interface. Making F-16 A/B/C/D the most hacked out plane.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics

Henry Crown, still GD's largest shareholder, died on 15 August 1990. Following this, the company started to rapidly divest its under-performing divisions under CEO William Anders. Cessna was re-sold to Textron in January 1992, the San Diego missile production to General Motors-Hughes Aerospace in May 1992, the Fort Worth aircraft production to Lockheed in March 1993 (a nearby electronics production facility was separately sold to Israeli-based Elbit Systems, marking their entry into the United States market), and its Space Systems Division to Martin Marietta in 1994.
www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/israel050602.html

The United States has also underwritten Israel�s domestic armaments industry, by giving:

* $1.3 billion to develop the Lavi aircraft (cancelled)
* $625 million to develop and deploy the Arrow anti-missile missile (an ongoing project)
* $200 million to develop the Merkava tank (operative); the latest version, the Merkava 4, uses a German V-12 diesel engine produced under license in the U.S. by General Dynamics
* $130 million to develop the high-energy laser anti-missile system (ongoing).

While overall aid to Israel is slated to decrease over the next five years, military aid will increase significantly. One of President Clinton�s last acts was to sign an agreement with Israel, phasing out the ESF by 2008. At the same time, FMF funds to Israel will increase $60 million each year, reaching $2.4 billion by 2008.

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that's right folks. Merkava engine is a free gift from General Dynamics to israel. How else a country that doesn't have car industry suddenly can design a tank diesel engine with power ratio matching Leopard II/M1A2? Even the russian can't hack that one until next T-95. And they've building tank since way back...)

Ever wonder why Boeing was hussling congress to pay for "smart border fence"? or tank active anti-RPG (Trohpy)? Ya really think that was for shooting brown people down south? That was for Israel/Palestine Fence system yo! And IDF needs Trophy to protect against RPG-29 that knocked out merkava.

Iron dome/anti missile are pretty much joke of the town.

Basically, we pay for research, israel get the technology, sell it to everybody, including bunch of dumb generals at pentagons. Then somebody has to create counter technology. So tax payers pay 3 times for an item.

Watch NASA-micro satellites. You can't bet 5 years from now, bunch of generals suddenly have bright ideas about buying micro satelite for on time launch from Israel and using Indian rocket. It's cheap they say... (heh. Ya dumbasses. Of course it's cheap. we already paid for it.)

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2. Israel weapon export $$ is ranked 6th in the world. Most items are that only big countries with deep pocket can afford . Big chunks are related to F-16 arms, enhancement and tuning. (I wonder hooow they got there.... ) We are talking about the level of Russia or France here. Most importantly, israel can't afford developing and maintaining industrial base for these enhancements. Most are paid for one way or another by congressional funding/military aid.

Phalcon radar, "Green Pine" early-warning AESA radar, etc... Israel can't afford purchasing these weapons let alone develop, maintain and sell. This is the level of Japan, France or South Korea economic development. Israel industrial base is 10 times too small to be able to have these toys.

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The side effect is kinda hilarious. Now everybody has F-16 level of technology. Burma has su-27 (everybody pretty much stfu after Russia sold them a squadron). Entire Asia has new Rafale or SU-30. India can win handily against anybody with huge number of SU-30. And Israel will not have air superiority even with F-15 after Mig-35. F-35 is pretty much over for smaller countries with T-50/PAK-FA.

and this is before China starts dumping J-11B and doing strategic arm sales to protect their interest. (eg. Iran) Israel is screwed with their small number of F-15.

As a result by the end of this decade, Israel is weaker than ever. And they have no industrial base to develop follow up to F-16. Which is slightly behind SU-30 and 35.

In a way Israel re-balance world geopolitical power on Industrial competency. Soon global air force ranking will renormalise. US, Russia, Japan, China, India.. followed by europeans. then countries like South Korea, Brazil, Iran. Israel won't be able to catch up due to the cost of next generation fighters. They have to buy huge number of second generation F-35, enlarged with bigger weapon bay, at cost that even aipac driven congress will blink. What China and Russia will in the middle east before 2020 will be interesting.

In a way nobody has to worry about Israel air force anymore. They are on their own. There is no weapon US can offer that will get them out of their predicament. Anybody talking about F-22 or subsequent design will go to jail period.

[Sidney O. Smith III]

If cipa becomes an issue in this prosecution, I sure look forward to seeing how Ms. Curtis and Ms. Schmidt handle the problem. And problem it is. Here's hoping these attorneys deftly deal with the issue. Hope is a theological virtue, I note, but no reason to bring up issues of religion and the state.

[Smithy]

To curious...it's a GERMAN engine, it's just license produced in the US. I won't even comment on half the other stuff you imagined there. But Israel has to spend the money it gets in the US, thereby stifling any competition.

[curious]

lol. Poor Israel, has to spend the free US money inside the US. How is that corvette deal with Germany going? find loose change under the couch to pay for that dolphine yet?

whatta bunch of freeloaders.

It's very simple, you don't want to spend the money, then don't.

Of course that means either you have to pay out of your own pocket, which either you can't afford or nobody will license it to you. Or you can always play the holocaust card again to get free weapons. It might still work in germany. Tho' they kinda get tired of this trick rather quickly after the 5th dolphine.

Plus, what you gonna do after T-95? Beg for congress to pay for new MTU 890, new reactive composite material and bigger main gun?

You do realize the russian has enough computing power to design an rpg specifically to penetrate merkava skin right?

PS. please keep begging for F-22. so I can track every lobbyist and senators connected to Israel.