Prime candidate for death penalty

[SuperScout]

China obtained secret stealth technology used on B-2 bomber engines from a Hawaii-based spy ring in a compromise U.S. officials say will allow Beijing to copy or counter a key weapon in the Pentagon's new strategy against China. Details of the classified defense technology related to the B-2's engine exhaust system and its ability to avoid detection by infrared sensors were sold to Chinese officials by former defense contractor Noshir S. Gowadia, an Indian-born citizen charged with spying in a federal indictment released by prosecutors in Hawaii.

Additionally, Mr. Gowadia provided extensive technical assistance to Chinese weapons designers in developing a cruise missile with an engine exhaust system that is hard to detect by radar, according to court papers made public recently. He also helped the Chinese modify a cruise missile so that it can intercept U.S. air-to-air missiles, and helped Chinese weapons designers improve testing and measurement facilities, the court papers state.

Most of the indictment, handed up Nov. 8, outlines how the engineer helped China develop a radar-evading stealth exhaust nozzle for a cruise missile engine. Additionally, the court papers indicated that Mr. Gowadia sent e-mails to Israel, Germany, and Switzerland in 2002 and 2004 that contained data labeled "secret" and "top secret" that was related to U.S. stealth technology intended for use in the TH-98 Eurocopter and for foreign commercial aircraft.

One computer file found in Mr. Gowadia's Maui, Hawaii, home was a file containing the radar cross-sections of U.S. B-1 and F-15 jets and the Air Force's air-launched cruise missile, information that would be useful to countering those systems by anti-aircraft missiles or other air defense weapons.

The case is the second major military technology espionage case involving China. Earlier this year, two Chinese-born brothers in Los Angeles were arrested as suspects in passing Navy warship and submarine weapons secrets to China. In all, Mr. Gowadia is charged with making at least six secret visits to China from 2002 through 2005, and being paid at least $110,000 by Chinese officials for highly classified defense technology supplied through January, according to court papers. Investigators think he was paid as much as $2 million, some of which remains in foreign bank accounts.

The first known compromise was Mr. Gowadia's lecture in a foreign country in 1999 that involved the disclosure of defense secrets. He offered classified defense information to as many as eight foreign nations, the court papers state. Mr. Gowadia was first indicted in November 2005 in connection with passing information to several countries that were not identified. The new indictment states that Mr. Gowadia continued to be engaged in a conspiracy to sell classified technology through January 2006.

Mr. Gowadia worked for B-2 developer and manufacturer Northrop Aircraft Inc. from 1968 to 1989 as part of an ultrasecret special access program for the B-2, and later as a Northrop contractor involved in classified research on missiles and aircraft. He also worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1990s.

He developed the still-secret method used by military aircraft to suppress infrared signals from the engine that blocks heat-seeking missiles from targeting the jet. U.S. officials familiar with the case said the compromise of the B-2 technology is extremely damaging because it will give China key secrets on the bomber.

A defense official said the case highlights China's intelligence efforts to counter key weapons systems that give the United States strategic advantages over Chinese forces. "The B-2 is at the head of the list of their intelligence targets," said the official. The Pentagon recently completed a major upgrade of bomber storage facilities on the Pacific island of Guam as part of a new strategy designed to position forces in Asia for a swift defeat of China in a future conflict.

B-2 bombers are regularly deployed for short periods of time on Guam as part of what the Pentagon is calling its "hedge" strategy to be ready to deal with a Chinese threat in the future. According to the indictment, Mr. Gowadia, who lives on an estate on the island of Maui, conspired with two men, Tommy Wong and Henri Nyo, to sell the technology. Mr. Wong was identified in court papers as an official of the Chinese Foreign Experts Bureau who met the other men during meetings in Chengdu, China. The bureau is a center that conducts "research and development of Chinese fighter aircraft and cruise missiles." During the six visits, Mr. Gowadia was there "for the specific purpose of assisting the [People's Republic of China] in designing, testing and analyzing a low observable exhaust nozzle ... for a PRC cruise missile," the indictment said.

In the earlier indictment, Mr. Gowadia was quoted as telling investigators that he "disclosed classified information and material both verbally and in papers, computer presentations, letters and other methods to individuals in foreign countries with the knowledge that information was classified." "The reason I disclosed this classified information was to establish the technological credibility with the potential customers for future business," he said. "I wanted to help these countries to further their self aircraft protection systems. My personal gain would be business."

Mr. Gowadia has pleaded not guilty to the charges and his son, Ashton Gowadia, told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that the charges against his father are false. A trial is scheduled for July.

[Keith_Hixson]

He just admitted a motive: The most common of all motives, GREED . Most sell out not so much for political reasons but greed.

["The reason I disclosed this classified information was to establish the technological credibility with the potential customers for future business," he said. "I wanted to help these countries to further their self aircraft protection systems. My personal gain would be business." ]

He'll be convicted by his own words.

Guilty - Hang Him

Keith

[frisco-kid]

Yep. No plea bargain of any kind. Should be an automatic death sentence.

[the humper]

another, along with others that could be added to the list, is the one who was at Los Almos, 2 years back, who was found guilty, & basically given time served, less than a year in custody. And the facts, have never been brought out as to who, what, when, & where. Don't think our intelligence agencies(s) want any word out on this. Could be extremely sensitive, or reflect a tremendous GOOF, on someones part.
SF
NC

[SuperScout]

With this and other mentioned cases involving acts that bring harm to America, perhaps we need to revisit the definition of 'treason' as laid out in the US Constitution. As amply demonstrated by this ex-Indian, the evidence certainly warrants a death sentence; and after he's found guilty, move him to the head of the line, and carry out the sentence. On live TV. Let the world know that acts of treason are the highest crime against our country, and will no longer be tolerated. By anybody.

[Keith_Hixson]

In the last 30 or so years we don't give out the death penalty for treason.
Trust me it won't happen. The bleeding hearts will make sure of that.
After all he didn't betray for political reasons, he betrayed for greed and we are all greedy.

Keith

[SuperScout]

Yep, the whining bedwetters are the primary reason why there aren't more occupants of federal death gurneys. For me, if the motivation was money, politics, or grandma's broken wheelchair, the sentence would still be the same. Shoot the juice to them, bruce!

[Robert Ryan]

Treason the only anwere is the death sentence.

[SuperScout]

NORFOLK -- A sailor accused of stealing a Navy laptop and peddling its classified contents to an undisclosed foreign government pleaded guilty this morning to espionage, desertion and other charges. Petty Officer 3rd Class Ariel J. Weinmann, 22, of Salem, Ore., faces a sentence of life in prison without parole, a dishonorable discharge from the Navy and forfeiture of all pay.

Under a plea agreement, Weinmann pleaded guilty to one of three counts of espionage. He also pleaded guilty to one count each of desertion, failing to properly safeguard and store classified information, copying classified information, communicating classified information to a person not entitled to receive it, and stealing and destroying a government computer.

In addition, Weinmann pleaded guilty to trying to transmit classified information related to national defense to a representative of a foreign government on Oct. 19, 2005, while he was in or near Vienna, Austria. He pleaded not guilty to a count of espionage for trying to give classified information to an agent of a foreign government in March 2005 in Bahrain and a third count of trying to deliver confidential information on March 19 in Mexico City. Weinmann told the judge, who had yet to accept the plea, that he deserted the Navy in July 2005 because the service did not meet his expectations. "I had a very idealized view, basically what amounted to a World War II Navy," Weinmann told the judge.

He said he did not report for duty aboard his submarine on July 3, 2005. He moved to Austria and planned never to come back to the United States but changed his mind and was arrested in March at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. When he was arrested, Weinmann was carrying $4,000 in cash, three CD-ROMs, an external computer storage device and memory cards for storing digital images. Weinmann told the judge he believed his actions could hurt morale and security.

"I believe if it fell into the wrong hand, sir, the information could be detrimental to the United States," Weinmann said. He said he had made copies of classified material on a laptop computer, which he brought with him to Austria. He said he printed one document and copied other information onto CDs and said he had unclassified, classified and secret information sitting on a table in his apartment in Austria. The military has not said what it believes Weinmann might have sought in exchange for the information.