China: Suspected Acquisition of U.S. Nuclear Weapon Secrets

89 Lee, P. 84.
CRS-27
On March 8, Los Alamos fired Wen Ho Lee for “a pattern of disregard for
security policies, procedures, and applicable DOE Orders” and “inability to maintain
classified information securely.” 89 (DOE later changed Lee’s status to retired and
began to pay him a pension. 90 ) After Lee was fired, the FBI also searched his home
with a warrant on April 10, 1999.
Around this time in early 1999, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and
Washington Post reported on alleged spying by China at the Los Alamos lab.
Congress was concerned about the investigation. 91
When he was fired from Los Alamos on March 8, 1999, the government’s only
suspect was identified publicly as Wen Ho Lee. Secretary Richardson said he fired
Lee, because the W88 case became public and Lee allegedly failed a polygraph test
in February 1999. 92 Richardson also alleged that Lee failed to notify officials about
certain contacts with people in the PRC, to properly safeguard classified material,
and to cooperate on security matters.
However, FBI Director Louis Freeh said on March 17, 1999, that this case was
“an active investigation. We’ve not made charges against anybody, so nobody should
be accused of anything.” The Cox Committee’s unclassified report released in May
1999 was careful not to name any suspects.
Answering to Congress. On March 17, 1999, appearing before the Senate
Intelligence Committee, Secretary Richardson announced seven initiatives to
strengthen counterintelligence at DOE, in addition to PDD-61. Those steps were to
! improve security of cyber-information systems, including electronic
mail;
! improve security of documents containing weapon design data;
! review the foreign visitors’ program (to be led by former DCI John
Deutch);
! direct the deputy secretary and undersecretary to monitor the
program to strengthen counterintelligence;
! review all investigative files in the Office of Counterintelligence;
90 “Lee Agrees to Answer Additional Questions,” Washington Post, November 19, 2000.
91 Gerth, Jeff and Eric Schmitt, “Bipartisan Report Finds Theft of Nuclear Technology That
Hurt National Security,” New York Times, December 31, 1998; Carla Anne Robbins, “China
Got Secret Data On U.S. Warhead,” Wall Street Journal, January 7, 1999; Walter Pincus,
“U.S. Cracking Down On Chinese Designs On Nuclear Data” and “Spy Suspect Fired At
Los Alamos Lab,” Washington Post, February 17 and March 9, 1999; James Risen and Jeff
Gerth, “China Stole Nuclear Secrets From Los Alamos, U.S. Officials Say,” New York
Times, March 6, 1999; testimony of FBI Director Louis Freeh before the House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary, March 17, 1999.
92 Risen, James, “U.S. Fires Nuclear Scientist Suspected of Spying for China,” New York
Times, March 9, 1999; Pincus, Walter, “Spy Suspect Fired At Los Alamos Lab,”
Washington Post, March 9, 1999.