Scientist Arrested By FBI Sting Operation

A scientist has been arrested as the result of an FBI sting operation in Maryland. Why not arrest persons who have allegedly provided information about "deep black" UFO-related secrets?

According to the press release issued by The Justice Department, FBI arrested "Stewart David Nozette, 52, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, with attempted espionage for knowingly and willfully attempting to communicate, deliver, and transmit classified information relating to the national defense of the United States to an individual that Nozette believed to be an Israeli intelligence officer."

The operation to nab Nozette began when an FBI undercover operative posing as an Israeli intelligence officer called Nozette to arrange a meeting to discuss an arrangement to exchange classified information for money.

Nozette provided information about a SECRET classified project and allegedly offered "to reveal additional classified information that directly concerned nuclear weaponry, military spacecraft or satellites, and other major weapons systems."

During his career, Nozette had access to TOP SECRET and Special Access information.

Based upon information provided by the DoJ, it would appear this case is a classic example of a set-up and take-down operation against an individual suspected of being a risk to national security.

One question remains in my mind:

What happens when FBI goes after individuals involved in the deepest black projects; those programs considered so sensitive that the authorities play the Glomar response card:

"We can neither confirm nor deny that any information exists or does not exist."

If an individual was to reveal the existence or even sensitive information concerning such a program, how would officials assess the risk of exposure of an official acknowledgement of the existence of the program, which is itself a closely guarded secret, against the damage from any individual leak of information?

Would the program officials inform the FBI, as was apparently the case for the original MJ-12/MAJIC Majestic briefing document, allegedly prepared for President-Elect Eisenhower, declare the leaked information to be "BOGUS" and proceed to employ counter-intelligence operations against the information that had been leaked?

On the other hand, there is no statute of limitations for crimes of espionage. This means that someone today who is leaking deep black secrets deemed too sensitive to bust today might find themselves behind bars twenty-five years from now, after the existence of the project has been declassified.