U.S. Jew indicted as possible Israel spy
Court documents reveal ties between Israel Aerospace Industries and the man accused of spying for Israel.
By Yossi Melman Tags: Israel newsNew 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.
Other documents mention the names of Yossi Weiss and Yossi Fishman. Weiss is a former project manager and today the deputy CEO of IAI and head of the company's missile and space division. Fishman was the IAI's representative in the U.S. and is today the CEO of ODF Optronics.
Fishman told Haaretz he knew Nozette the way he knew other Americans employed by the IAI at the time as consultants. "We did not engage in any kind of spying activity or information gathering, perish the thought. The relationship was business as usual."
The IAI is not mentioned specifically by name in the documents. It is referred to as a foreign company or as a space company owned by the Israeli government." Background talks with administration officials indicate the references are indeed to IAI.
Unreported visits
The indictment and the documents indicate that Nozette was employed for nine years as an IAI consultant. Versions vary as to how much he was paid, from $170,000 to $225,000. His direct superior was Israel Aircraft Industries International, a U.S.-registered company.
The FBI searched Nozette's home and computer and found additional proof of his connection to Israel. He visited here several times, but did not report this - as is required by his high security clearance. The FBI confiscated letters he wrote to Israelis, reports he forwarded to the IAI, a map of Israel, photos of assorted places in Israel, a Hebrew-language catalog of archaeological artifacts and other items.
Nozette, 52, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was arrested after FBI surveillance that included wiretapping and undercover photography. The operation followed the former astronomer's interrogation on suspicion of tax evasion and defrauding the U.S. government. Nozette worked out plea bargain with the Justice Department; he admitted to fraud and accepted a sentence of up to three years in jail, plus a fine of $265,000. His jail term would have started in November, but he was arrested on the new and more serious charge of espionage.
Nozette, who was born in Chicago, has Jewish parents but there is no evidence he ever went to synagogue or Jewish community centers. His neighbors said he was "a Zionist" but without evidence attesting to this. From a young age, his interest was science. He studied at the University of Arizona and earned a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Immediately, in 1983, he went to work for U.S. agencies, including NASA, the Pentagon and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory near San Francisco, which focuses on nuclear weapons. By virtue of these positions, he enjoyed a very high security clearance. One of the important studies he participated in found water at the Moon's southern pole. Nozette subsequently left government work and set up a private company as a consultant to firms in India and the IAI. The latter continues to refuse, vehemently, to address this embarrassing episode, which apparently has not done damage to the company.
Nozette was not the only person employed by the company as a consultant. Over the years, the IAI as well as other Israeli defense-related industries operating in the U.S., such as Elbit and Rafael, hired as consultants dozens of Americans, mainly retired former army officers and senior officials.
Today as well, the IAI and its subsidiaries in the U.S. continue to do business there and to cultivate ties. It is rather clear to them, and this is indeed fairly routine business practice, that to obtain contracts and win grants from the U.S. administration, doors must be opened. For that, people with connections are needed to open those doors. This was one of Nozette's assignments. Against this backdrop he apparently tried (among other things) to help the "penetration" of NASA. IAI, which produces space missile launchers, satellites and other space technologies, hoped to win contracts and development grants and enter joint ventures.
While he was being investigated for fraud, Nozette told a friend he would be willing to work for the Mossad. This information, along with the fact that he was a consultant to the IAI, led the FBI to suspect Nozette of being a Mossad agent, or at least psychologically ready to be one. So a sting operation was set up. An FBI agent pretending to be a Mossad agent met with Nozette and asked him for information. Nozette reportedly agreed, supplied information and received $11,000. These contacts were documented.
The indictment does not mention Israel nor has the administration made any complaints. Nevertheless Israel since its establishment systematically conducted spying missions on U.S. soil - for around a quarter of a century. Primarily, it was nuclear and technological-military spying.
The Jonathan Pollard case brought an end to all spying activities; there is a clear directive from prime ministers, defense ministers, Military Intelligence chiefs and the Mossad on this matter. But the U.S. media and the administration officials have a hard time believing Israel on this subject, and the Nozette case does not contribute to clearing the atmosphere of suspicion regarding future intentions.
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Dr. Stewart David Nozette. |
| Photo by: (AP) |
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You are a disloyal American. You are another Pollard without access to classified US information. You belong in the cell next to Pollard. You traitor, if anyone approaches you and asks you to spy for Mossad, or anybody else, CALL THE FBI, NOT THE ISRAELI EMBASSY.
So check with the Jewish Embassy before you spy on america and if they say yes it's us, it's OK? This is why NO Dual Citizen should have a security clearence .... and no matter if declaired or not ALL jews are dual Citizens
Don't let the door hit them in the ass. American Jews are citizens of the US first and foremost, they cant be part time citizens. Either you are with us or against us not in between
hold thy shalom at the presence of the lord for the day of the lord is at hand for the lord hath prepared a sacrifice he hath bid his guests and it shall come to pass at that time that I will search JESUSALEN with candles and punish the men that are settled on their lees that say in their heart the lord will not do good neither will he do evil the great day of the lord is near it is near and hasteh greatly even the voice of the day of the lord the mighty man shall cry there bitterly that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wasteness and desolation a day of darkness and gloomines a day of clouds and thick darkness and I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung,zephaniah
The Dreyfus Affair was over 100 years ago, in France. The french were kind of antisemitic then. But that was a long time ago. Back then the USA conquered the Philippines and crushed the democracy movement there, we installed a fake democracy and ran the place ourselves because we thought we needed military bases. Things have changed a whole lot since then, when is the last time the USA has done that? Back then we had oil barons pretty much running the country and getting richer off the rest of us. We don't like it when spies give our technological secrets to other nations. Pre-1900 did we really have any important technological secrets? And here you are talking about Dreyfus, a Frenchman persecuted by other Frenchmen over 100 years ago. It sounds like you don't have any good recent examples from the USA.
You avoid any discussion of Dreyfus that Jonas mentioned. Is it because it does not suit your agenda to acknowlege persecution of Jews as it detracts from the "only problem" in the world.?The few thousand square miles that is Israel. Are you going to BDS yourself for occupying Malvinas? Malvinas has no agenda for destroying Britain. Neither do the Kurds want to destroy the Arabs Turks or Persians nor do the Tibetans want to destroy China. Israel is the easy target for the P.C. hypocrits who do not BDS China that has never been threatened by the Tibetans. Turkey invaded and populated Greek areas of Cyprus.Where is/was the BDS mob? Its hard to fathom you people,human rights clearly is not what is driving you.
The perfect response from a "Dipstick". You forgot to mention the holocaust, BTW. Or that your god said that Israel can do as it wishes because it is a collection of "chosen perps".
Everyone's out to get you because your a jew. All the world does is stay up all night every night trying to figure out how we can screw the jews over. Any criticism of Israel or of any jew is just venemous anti-semetism. Your claims of persecution are tired and dishonest. I'm an American in my 30's and for the first time in my life I'm starting to see the majority of people reject this nonsense. Better stop crying wolf or when the wolf really does show up your going to be on your own.
if the story gains any traction, it'll most likely be because of semites screaming anti-semitism over a rather obscure issue that is a matter of course.
A little something called Google: France http://tech.mit.edu/V115/N6/spy.06w.html Britain http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6620700 Austria http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/06/world/us-diplomat-leaves-austria-after-being-caught-wiretapping.html?pagewanted=1 Pakistan http://www.daily.pk/us-embassy-personnel-caught-spying-on-pakistani-nukes-12519/ Russia http://www.russiajournal.com/node/398 Russia again. http://www.blythe.org/nytransfer-subs/Eastern_Europe/CIA_Caught_Spying,_Drugging_Russian_Citizens Germany http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-889972.html That enough proof for you?
"was the man spying, or did he think that he was spying?" "was he spying for israel, or did he think he was spying for israel?" Yes, this is a problem. Spy rings from all over the world go to US Jews and tell them they are the Mossad and need help. And if the americans believe them and help them out, they have no possible way to tell who they are actually spying for. So if Mossad does ask you to provide them with information, for gods sake call the Israel Embassy and ask them to confirm that it's really Mossad and not KGB or KCIA or, well, anybody.
Look up Amdocs or read Ostrovsky's by Way of Deception, or US is compromised, infested with security breaches, to wit: http://www.amconmag.com/article/2008/jun/02/00006/
This guy is only a scapegoat, forget about him. It is important to keep this story down low. It it gets to much attention, the result would be a catatrophy... nobody would "help" us anymore or it would get really expensive...
so nothing just give him the same treatment that they gave The Rosenbergs.
A little something called Google: France http://tech.mit.edu/V115/N6/spy.06w.html Britain http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6620700 Austria http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/06/world/us-diplomat-leaves-austria-after-being-caught-wiretapping.html?pagewanted=1 Pakistan http://www.daily.pk/us-embassy-personnel-caught-spying-on-pakistani-nukes-12519/ Russia http://www.russiajournal.com/node/398 Russia again. http://www.blythe.org/nytransfer-subs/Eastern_Europe/CIA_Caught_Spying,_Drugging_Russian_Citizens Germany http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-889972.html That enough proof for you?
Everyone spies on everyone else. The UK - despite it's 'special relationship' with the US - spies here as a matter of course. So Israel spies on the US. So what?! If the story really gains any traction, it'll only be because anti-Semites so desperately want Jews and Israel to look bad. MV
MELMAN DID YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO WRITE? Where is there any new news? Where is evidence of Israel's involvement? This is beneath you to write non-news.
A question please...how many Americans do you think are spying against Israel? Don't strain your brain but there are many. Some are caught and quietly returned to the U.S. without fanfare...unlike Pollard who has probably received the harshest sentence,besides the Rosenbergs who paid the ultimate price,for spying. Jews seem to pay a higher price..unfair in many ways. Walker and Hanson did dastardly damage to the U.S. but I do not think their sentences were as harsh as Pollards. Hanson's crimes were dumped on Pollard and even when they found out the truth Pollard's sentence was not reviewed and he remains in prison and will probably die there. Fair is fair and this is out of the bounds of any fairness.This country,the U.S.,needs a tweaking..a good chiropractor to get things aligned and straight. Our intelligence stinks as does our current government.
i said that the story is weird. i still think that the story is weird in all aspects. of course, i base my opinions on what is publicly available.
"History has produced many Nozettes, Pollards, Dreyfuss`... Which only guilt was being a jew" Pollard, an American citizen, was convicted of spying for Israel - for money. He pled guilty. Your 'poor Jew' claim is laughable in its obvious dishonesty.
"Yes, it is usual to spy on an ally. The United States has been caught spying on France, Britain, Germany and Japan" Care to provide names, dates and places? I'm sure you can...
does nozette know hebrew?
Yes, it is usual to spy on an ally. The United States has been caught spying on France, Britain, Germany and Japan.
When the 'industry' is owned by the government? Has Israel forgotten the damage of the Pollard Case? Or has almost a decade of 'wink-and-not' conspiracy with anything Israel did by the Bush Junta caught up with both nations? ". . . a Hebrew-language catalog of archaeological artifacts and other items." - Yossi Melman Mr. Melman might not understand the significance. What appears an absurd seizure could well have been a 'polyalphabetic substitution cipher key.'
Well, if our American friends are finding the Jewish folks in the US objectionable, the gifted, imaginative and highly talented Jewish scientists and engineers should all return to Israel.
In 1994, Dr. Nozette was awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for his conception and execution of the Clementine mission. He was one of the National Space Society?s 25 Young Space Pioneers for 1994 and recipient of the NSS 1994 Award for Achievement in Science and Engineering. I hope Dr. Stewart Nozette will get a fair trial, After all he contributed more to the USA than caused damage to US interests.
What does Dreyfuss have to do with Pollard and Nozette? Shame on you, but you're not ashamed are you? Others like you have used similar tricks with regard other victims of Jew-hatred with the result that all of them are questioned. Pollard spied and was found guilty. We'll see what happens with Nozette. Dreyfuss was an exemplary soldier and patriot who was framed out of hatred for Jews. Reprehensible Jonas.
... hope-and-pray that your disgnosis is correct...
Offering to commit espionage is a crime for anyone with a security clearance. It does not matter if the country is Canada or the Soviet Union or Israel or the UK or Iran. A jury can decide. If he's guilty, throw away the key.
HE is accused of spying... HE is the one on trial... whether israel was aware that he was spying on its behalf doesn't really matter... what matters is that he was spying.
Offering to spy on behalf of a foreign power is against US law for anybody with a security clearance. It doesn't matter if the foreign power is hostile or not. It could even be Canada and it wouldn't matter. If he's guilty, they should throw him in a deep hole and let him out in about 65 years.
Everyone spies on every sir. Like I mentioned earlier. Even allies. I am sure we spy on Israel your country England. But then again be share information so the lines are blurred
Trying to stick government conspiracies to this one will be difficult.
either he was spying, or else he was not spying. if he was spying, he was either spying for israel, or he was not spying for israel. if he was spying for israel, there is no doubt that israel would have known that he was spying for her. yet neither the americans, nor the israelis, have claimed that he was spying for israel.
not every on this thread is American. But everyone spies on everyone. Even allies
"has Jewish parents but there is no evidence he ever went to synagogue or Jewish community centers." If this is a new criteria for establishing one's religious affiliations, then the majority of Muslims & Chrisitans will loose being part of these two religions.
Dreyfuss. But it seems the feds a good case against Pollard. I am not sure on this case thought
And in what respect is it similar to the clear cut Pollard case? Do you know that the Pentagon wrote an 86 page report on Fort Hood in which, not even once, was the name of Nidal Hassan mentioned, nor why he killed all those Americans? SO AS NOT TO MENTION ISLAM!!!
so it really doesn't matter whether or not israel knew he was spying for it.
....right-wing Israels ideology of expansive Zionism (due to increased pressure from abroad, and the impatience of the U.S. taxpayer), the more Israel will have reason to spy on the American people. Sounds kind of logical to me, if my girlfriend would start depriving me of her favour, I would probably also start spying on her...:)
My word, Israel surely has a screwed up national mentality of suspicion. Repeated spying and bribery on their only ally must mean something is dreadfully wrong in Israel.
They have some sort of strangle hold on U.S Congress. There is no way any other nation whose hand gets caught in the cookie jar as much as Israel's does would still get aid from those they deceive. Our congress is owned by Israel without a doubt.
Innocent until proven guitly? The man has been indicted, yet the talkbacks here are already convicting him on the strength of a very sketchy newspaper article. Is this what justice has become in the US? Is the US really returning to the McCarthy era? Stop your with hunt and wait for some more facts. It wouldn't be the first time the FBI has railroaded someone because of internal policies.
Here in DC we've seen several such cases fall completely apart when they got to court. Thus far, I see some allgations of wrong-doing, but no hard evidence. Moreover, here in the US one is presumed innocent until "proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt". I don't know about you, but thus far I have several "reasonable doubts".
"The FBI found a map of Israel in his home and a list of archaeological artifacts" Wow! Sounds like a lot of crap and hype to me.
please show him how to rot
Polard confesed because he was told he would have a chance for a lower sentence but everything turned against him Shame on Israeli politicians for liying to him
The accused has photos of Israel and names on Israelis on his computer- VERY SCARY. As a physicist he was invclved with finiding water on mars.. some huge spying. He may not have reported all his income.. what's new there . So far he is charged only with nothing proved. US spies on France and other nations.
Don't you dare compare Dreyfus with Pollard or this yahoo. Pollard confessed to his treason. Dreyfus was a Patriotic French Officer who was railroaded.
finds ghosts in every corner. It's called job security in this economic times.
was the man spying, or did he think that he was spying? was he spying for israel, or did he think he was spying for israel? did israel know that he was spying for israel? did he really spy for israel?
Oh, really? An end to all spying? Oh really? And how do you know this, Mr. Melman? And how does a reporter get to make such definitive proclamations about unknowables? A reputable reporter would have written "After the Pollard case, various Israeli government agencies issued directives against further spying." The directives may be a fact, but the cessation of spying is a supposition. An honest and competent reporter would have recognized the difference.
by systematically looting its ally of its defence secrets and technology, selling the former to other countries, using the latter to make fortunes in defence technologies. This is at the expense of the 'special relationship,' which obviously those in power in Israel find expendable. Nozette went to India for IAI to trade US secrets.
That's a stretch. No direct mention of Israel in indictment.
Joe Lieberman get? He would be even a better target for a sting!.....Peace Ever?
Which only guilt was being a jew For how long would the jewish people still be burnt at stakes, killed, jailed and crucified only for being jewish?
This was a pure case of entrappment by the FBI who undertook a situation to bribe an individual who worked for an Isrraeli company. There are many Americans who work for or are consultants to foreign companies, many of whom have U.S. opertions. Nozzette apparently was in this category.His work for the IAI was apparently legal. The allegations by the FBI are another matter. Since the U.S. and Israel exchange intelligence information I can`t help wonder why anyone would put themselves in a clandestine situation that would see charges levelled against them when in fact they did not commit any clandestine activity.
It would not be surorising to find many more moles in every sensitive industry in the U.S. He should rot in Jail same as Pollard. This is unacceptable and untolerable.
With a friend like Israel, the US doesn't need enemies.
When will America wake up? And will Israel stop spying on its "friend in the middle east?" Never, apparently, to the former; And never, for sure, to the latter! It is so sad to see the tail continuing the dog!
I thought American authorities concluded over a month ago that Israel was NOT involved in Nozette's attempt to steal US Government secrets! Suddenly, Israel is involved after all? No way, man!
Repeatedly Israel has paid Americans to spy on the USA. Is that the work of a trusted ally? Or is Israel self-serving in advancing it's own agenda at a cost to the USA? The Israel-Palestine conflict has been the largest destablizing factor in the Middle East. Israeli mistreatment of Palestinians has provided fodder for extremist Muslim groups. Why should the USA blindly support Israel?
According to our FBI, Israel has the second largest spying organization in america, second only to communist china. Its amazing to me that America has and is providing aid to Israel along with political support since the inception of Israel, yet they play America for a chump. It burns me up that we have given Israel a free pass for so long. Its time we look at our so called "special relationship" without the rose colored glasses.