Sources report that Weinmann is in solitary confinement in a Navy Brig.
(NORFOLK, VA.) - A U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class named Ariel J. Weinmann is in solitary confinement at a Norfolk, Virginia Navy base facing an accusation of espionage on three continents.
CNN reported Wednesday that sources close to the case involving the 21-year old submariner say he is accused of spying on Russia's behalf. In a related story, The Jerusalem Post says a Saudi Arabian newspaper claims Weinmann was spying for Israel.
According to reports, Ariel's father Robert Weinmann says the authorities don't know what they are talking about, pointing to everything being a matter of speculation at this point.
Navy officials told The Virginian-Pilot on condition of anonymity, that they can't comment on reports that Weinmann was passing classified information to the Russian government.
The Navy's charge against Weinmann alleges that he... "communicate, deliver or transmit classified confidential and secret information relating to the national defense to a representative, officer, agent or employee of a foreign government."
Weinmann is charged with deserting the Navy in early July 2005, a few months after his first alleged contact with a foreign government agent in Bahrain, where he was deployed.
The alleged contact happened twice over the course of a year in Vienna, Austria, and Mexico City during the period that the Navy says he was a deserter.
He underwent a preliminary hearing on July 26th called an Article 32. According to the Navy, Weinmann also faces charges for desertion, failing to properly secure classified information, making an electronic copy of classified information, communicating classified information to a person not entitled to receive it, and stealing and destroying a laptop computer.
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