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An image of Stewart David Nozette taken from a surveillance video released by the US Dept of Justice. AP Photo/Department of Justice

Former NASA scientist admits trying to spy for Israel

Stewart David Nozette was caught in an undercover operation that started with him failing to report all of his income in his tax return.

A FORMER US government space scientist admitted in court yesterday to trying to sell classified information to Israel, but federal agents say they believe they stopped him from actually passing any secrets. Not that they can know for sure.

The investigators say the undercover sting operation that caught Stewart David Nozette might never have been launched if he hadn’t been cheating on his taxes. But it has ended with Nozette facing 13 years in prison.

Nozette pleaded guilty to one count of attempted espionage, admitting he tried to provide Israel with top secret information about satellites, early warning systems, ways of retaliating against large-scale attack, communications intelligence information and major elements of defence strategy.

Prosecutors and Nozette’s lawyers agreed to the 13-year sentence, with credit for two years Nozette has already spent behind bars since his arrest. US District Judge Paul Friedman said he was prepared to accept the deal, pending Nozette’s cooperation with prosecutors, a procedure expected to last into November.

‘Undercover agent’

Appearing in court in a prison jumpsuit, the 54-year-old Nozette said he understood the charge to which he was pleading. He could have been sentenced to death had he been convicted of all four counts of attempted espionage that he faced.

Prosecutors say Nozette told an undercover agent posing as an Israeli spy that he already had passed classified information to Israel but he was not charged with doing so.

“We do not have any information he passed on classified information,” Ronald C Machen Jr, US attorney for the District of Columbia said in an interview with reporters. “We believe we thwarted that before it occurred.”

Investigators said in an interview that Nozette apparently thought he gave classified information through his consulting work for the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd, but they could not prove Nozette gave the agency any secrets. The agents said the investigation included more than a dozen US agencies but did not involve the Israeli government because Israel probably wouldn’t admit it even if it had gotten information from Nozette.

During one of his secretly recorded conversations with the FBI undercover agent, Nozette said: “I thought I was working for you already. I mean, that’s what I always thought, (IAI) was just a front.”

Nozette had high-level security clearances during decades of government work on science and space projects at NASA, the Energy Department and the National Space Council in President George H.W. Bush’s White House. He has a doctorate in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was known primarily as a defence technologist who had worked on the Reagan-era missile defence shield effort formally called the Strategic Defence Initiative. He also helped develop a radar experiment that discovered evidence of water on the moon — a version of the satellite involved in the project is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Mossad

The plea agreement said Nozette will not have to serve any additional time for his January 2009 guilty plea on two counts of tax evasion since any prison term in that case will be concurrent with the espionage sentence.

Investigators say they learned that Nozette might be interested in spying after a search of his Chevy Chase, Maryland, home in February 2007 in connection with the tax and fraud investigation. Nozette ran a nonprofit corporation called the Alliance for Competitive Technology that had several agreements to develop advanced technology for the US government. But he was overstating his costs for reimbursement and failing to report the income on his tax returns.

The search turned up classified documents, which he was not allowed to have unsecured in his home. Agents also discovered Nozette sent an email in 2002 threatening to sell information about a classified program he was working on to Israel or another foreign country. Investigators wouldn’t disclose to whom he sent the email, but said the FBI decided to conduct an undercover operation to see how serious he was.

The agents said they found a willing participant, motivated by a desire for money and to flee the country and his pending sentence in the tax case. An undercover agent called Nozette and asked to meet at a hotel. Nozette said yes. “He wanted to start over and start a new life,” Machen said.

At one point in a recording of their meeting, Nozette said he wanted to set up somewhere like Singapore because “it’s clean, it’s nondescript, they speak English there” and doesn’t extradite to the United States. He said he’d leave his wife behind. “She would ask too many questions,” he said in the recording.

Prosecutors said Nozette agreed to provide regular information for what he thought was the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, through a post office box in exchange for money and an Israeli passport. Authorities said he took two payments — one for $2,000 and another for $9,000 — from the post office box in September 2009 and in exchange dropped off answers to questions about US satellites.

In a conversation recorded at the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington just before his arrest, Nozette told the undercover agent that “I’ve crossed the Rubicon … I’ve made a career choice,” and then, according to the papers, he laughed.

“I’m prepared to give them the whole thing … all the technical specifications,” according to the court papers.

He was recorded telling the agent that the secrets he was passing to Israel had cost the US government anywhere from $200 million to almost $1 billion, including development and the launching and integrating of satellites. He said he thought he should be paid 1 per cent of that cost — $2 million

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3 Comments
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    Mute BRIAN MCCARTHY
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:13 AM

    I left 2 wks ago. Fully vaxed since 17 June. 3* apartment €370 a wk for both of us. €60 meal for 2, inc starters, main and bottle of wine. €1.30 glass of wine €2.50 pint. 28C past 2 wks. Ah sure no, i shouldn’t have.

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    Mute Sophie
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    Jul 19th 2021, 3:17 AM

    @BRIAN MCCARTHY: Only 28, you’d get hotter weather in Ireland

    374
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:39 PM

    @Sophie: Things do tend to improve after people leave!

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:26 AM

    Leaving on a jet plane? Very memorable song by John Denver, unfortunately many parents will be playing this song in the next few years as there children take flight to a better life. Hopefully iam wrong.

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:59 AM

    @Paul Gorry:

    That’s been par for course for generations. Many will travel for lots of reasons. Many will come back also to raise a family. Not rocket science. Ireland’s a great country to live in by many standards, why else would so many return etc.

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    Mute James Lough
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:43 AM

    @iohanx: you’re having a laugh – great country to live in by many standards lol. Mica scandal in Donegal, housing shortage, vulture funds buying up estates, government is shambles, cost of living…

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:55 AM

    @James Lough: and no other country has their scandals? Maybe you should try living elsewhere.

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    Mute Paul Quirke
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:25 AM

    @James Lough: There is a jet plane that you can leave on apparently…

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    Mute Tim Quigley
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:51 AM

    @Paul Gorry: what about Garth Brooks ‘If tomorrow never comes’ . You might prefer that one.

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    Mute Stan Papusa
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    Jul 19th 2021, 11:52 AM

    @Paul Furey: That’s false equivalence.
    “Others have [list the issue here] too” doesn’t imply it’s equally bad everywhere. Nor does it mean nothing should be done about it. It’s been used to death whether the subject is covid, cost of living, corruption, healthcare, housing, etc.

    As well as that, it’s time to move past “the door is open, don’t let anyone stop you”. Eastern European governments have had a similar attitude towards their citizens for nearly 40 years, and the effects are sorely felt. Hardly anyone is saying that now…

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:10 PM

    @James Lough:

    There are 3 kinds of people …

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    Mute James Lough
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:35 PM

    @Paul Furey: l do live elsewhere lol

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:11 AM

    No Covid-19 digital certificate received, 3 weeks since my 2nd jab not that im flying anywhere anytime soon.

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    Mute Elaine Phelan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:38 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: you should contact them. I got mine emailed within a week of my 2nd jab. If you registered on the HSE site for the vaccine then it would have been emailed, so check your spam folder first

    55
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    Mute Sarah Heaton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:09 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: If you got it via the HSE vaccination centres yeah, you should have had it emailed to you by now, so contact them. However, if you got it through your GP (say due to underlying conditions etc) then you’ll be getting a physical “passport” from them rather than the email, and it’s them you’ll need to poke. It’s also likely to be that bit more delayed as they get their own ducks in a row, considering the certs have literally only been available since last Monday.

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    Mute thegreatdefector
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:14 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: check your junk mail. Got mine 4 days after second jab

    3
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:06 AM

    @Sarah Heaton: I got my vaccination through my G.P. Got my covid passport by email last Monday. Bit surprised by that but maybe others should check their mail just in case.

    3
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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:09 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: Check your email just in case. I got my vaccination through G.P but covid cert came by email last Monday.

    1
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:56 AM

    That John Denver song will resonate to a lot of parents over the next few years as there children take flight. Sad.

    55
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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:46 AM

    @Paul Gorry: I encourage my children to travel and live abroad. It makes them more independent and emotionally intelligent. Nothing sad at all about your children exploring the world and understanding other customs and cultures. Living down the road from Mammy all their lives is something I find sad.

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:34 AM

    @SmallbutMighty: Maybe that’s their choice. What’s extremely sad and should concern you more is how many will HAVE to leave. Not by choice but by government who has made it impossible to live here. Taxed to oblivion, never able to have their own home, extortionate rent, lack of childcare, cost of education, inadequate healthcare unless you can pay a fortune for private cover. The list is endless. There’s a lot more important issues facing our children then slinging a back pack on and travelling for fun.

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:46 AM

    @Franny Ando: those are all problems that face people all over the world. Living abroad whether by choice or necessity has many many positives in the growth of an individual. There’s an awful sense of entitlement in a lot of Irish these days.

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:08 AM

    @SmallbutMighty: Nothing to do with entitlement. Living abroad should never be a necessity because you can’t afford to live in your own country. Highest interest rates, one of the most expensive countries in Europe etc so not quite like others. Emigration should be a choice not a necessity to have a decent life.

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    Mute Joey
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:32 AM

    @Franny Ando: Franny, the woman’s original post relates to experiencing new cultures and growing as an individual. Why did u hijack the post and make it political?

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:20 AM

    @Joey: All for people broading their horizons. Travel is wonderful experience. No need for the disparaging comment about living close to “Mammies”. Not everyone wants to live abroad a lot want to rear their families in their native country. Definitely no one should have to go abroad to have a better life. If you can’t see that many are being forced to leave this country to do that then you are part of the problem.

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 11:09 AM

    @Franny Ando: everyone has to do what they have to do to get by. If that means moving abroad to find work, access better education or afford a house so be it. No one is forcing you it is always a choice. It’s a choice that people all over the world make. My original post was referring to the comment trying to trigger fear that everyone’s kids are being forced to leave and it’s all doom and gloom. I’m merely pointing out that emigration is a good thing for personal growth. Its something we should be encouraging our kids to do. Not making them feel they are being forced out because that breeds bitterness which is unhelpful in
    any society.

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    Mute emer mcdonnell
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:05 PM

    @SmallbutMighty: just out of curiosity why do you think its sad if some children are quite happy living their whole lives close to their parents?

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:38 PM

    @emer mcdonnell: because its a big old world out there and over the years I find the people who have travelled or worked abroad are generally more open minded and emotionally intelligent. Nothing wrong with settling at home but before you settle go spend sometime somewhere else. Again I’m referring to the original posters attempt to trigger fear in parents that their kids are being forced out. I’m simply highlighting that emigration does not have to be seen as a negative.

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:12 AM

    For those thinking of travelling to France, you will soon have to have a QR code or proof of having had covid-19 or a negative PCR test – within the last 3 days, to get into restaurants, cinemas and even supermarkets.

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:00 PM

    @David Stapleton: Thanks David. Does our EU Covid cert suffice for indoor dining in France?

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:16 PM

    @lelookcoco: I would think so but that is just my guess. I would check with the relevant government office in Ireland.

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:52 PM

    @lelookcoco: I have checked here in France as the QR code is now EU wide, I had to go into the App I was using and update the QR code I had already put there. It took all of 5 seconds. I am using the Anticovid app I downloaded from Playstore on my Samsung. From what I can see, the QR code just updates with a country of origin and an option to click on a box if you are crossing borders. It should/might be the same for Ireland. Good luck.

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    Mute whitewater
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:41 AM

    Left Ireland “illegally” a month ago with about 300 cases. Coming back legally today with over 1000. You couldn’t make this shiz up…

    37
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    Mute Vlad Eire
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:18 AM

    Can’t believe you said “ducks in a row”

    26
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    Mute Jeff Nolan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:02 AM

    What’s the story with children between 6 and 12 ?

    18
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:26 AM

    I’ve the digital Covid cert downloaded to the HSE Covid health check app but there isn’t an option to add it to the wallet? iPhone 11

    13
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    Mute motojack
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:12 AM

    @Brian Hunt: your fecked so stay in ireland is your only option

    45
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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:33 AM

    @Brian Hunt: https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/#scan

    #yourwelcome

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:33 AM

    @Brian Hunt: https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/#scan
    Your welcome

    4
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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:05 AM

    @Paul Diskin: that’s exactly what i wanted. Thank you

    5
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:52 PM

    @Paul Diskin: Thanks for the link. (I backtracked to the link minus the /#scan to find the Import Picture option & used the preview to take a screenshot.) https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/

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    Mute Micheál Ó Conchúir
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:12 AM

    As expected, the green travel cert helpline is non-functional ;(

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    Mute Stan Papusa
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:36 PM

    It’s all good news…
    The more are leaving for Spain, Portugal and Italy, the less crowded beaches here will be. Never made sense to me even before covid, but I won’t argue with people…

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    Mute Disillusioned
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:19 PM

    A little confused if anyone can help, if you have the covid passport do you still need to get a negative test before flight to Spain?

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