Vanunu indicted over violation of restricting terms of release

By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Reuters
17/03/2005 17:28

The State Prosecution submitted Thursday to the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court an indictment charging nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu with 22 violations of the restrictive terms of his release, including an attempt to leave the country. Vanunu was not remanded in custody.

A former nuclear technician who served an 18-year-term for spilling Israeli atomic secrets to a British newspaper, Vanunu was released from prison last April under orders not to contact or exchange information with foreign nationals without gaining permission in advance from state authorities. He was also forbidden from leaving the country.

The prosecution told the court that Vanunu has been systematically violating the restrictive warrant imposed on him since his release from prison in April 2004.

The prosecution says Vanunu gave many interviews in which he described his work at the Dimona nuclear plant in detail, exposing sensitive and confidential information on the plant's production capabilities.

Vanunu also exposed the way in which he collected information from other sections at the plant, and also how he entered restricted entry zones at the plant and took photos.

Speaking with Reuters, Vanunu said "they can charge me 50 times if they want. I will continue speaking to the press."

"I have not been charged with harming national security but with not respecting the restrictions on me. The police are just following procedure, having arrested me," Vanunu said.

"I am still hopeful they will end my restrictions," he concluded.

In July 2004 the High Court of Justice rejected Vanunu's petition to cancel the restrictive orders imposed on him. The judges determined that he still possesses top-secret information that would jeopardize state security if it is ever made public.