Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
April 30, 2007

Israel Says Nuclear Whistleblower Violated Gag Order
----------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1745F62:A6F02AD83191E1602C400C278975DEA29574F7DCC14957C0 In 1986, Mordechai
Vanunu was sentenced to 18 years in prison after giving interview to
British newspaper detailing duties at Dimona nuclear reactor An
Israeli court has convicted a former nuclear technician of violating a
gag order for speaking with foreign journalists. VOA's Jim Teeple
reports from Jerusalem the case goes back more than 20 years and
exposed Israel's nuclear secrets to the world.







Nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu flashes a victory sign as he
leaves Jerusalem's District court, 30 Apr 2007Mordechai Vanunu was
back in court - convicted of violating a court-imposed gag order by
speaking with foreign journalists. Vanunu was also found guilty of
attempting to leave Jerusalem through the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

In 1986 Vanunu was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he gave an
interview to a British newspaper detailing his duties at Israel's
Dimona nuclear reactor, where he said Israel produced 40 kilograms of
plutonium for use in hydrogen and neutron bombs. Since he was released
from prison he has been banned from leaving Israel or speaking with
foreigners.

His lawyers say he will appeal Monday's verdict. Leaving court a
defiant Vanunu called the verdict a blow to democracy, saying
information about Israel's nuclear program is widely known, and there
is no reason not to let him leave the country.

"Everything is published here," he said. "All the bombs that Israel
refuses to accept and admit that they have the bomb - they are here."

Israel's policy of so-called "strategic ambiguity" means that it
neither admits nor denies possessing nuclear weapons. Based on
Vanunu's revelations more than 20 years ago, nuclear experts concluded
that Israel possessed hundreds of warheads, making it the
sixth-largest nuclear power in the world.


.