our intelligence agencies may feel that it is not worth revealing their sources as to why they believe he was an actual agent for Chinese intelligence.
This is one of the more mystifying aspects of the case, to me at least. As you say, the normal policy in the event of a suspected breach of security would be to quietly shift the individual into a less sensitive area or to leave the individual in place, either as a conduit for false information or to allow surveillance that might uncover other members of a spy network. Publicly denouncing the individual as a spy and then refusing to release corroborating evidence seems the worst of both worlds.
But it was not in the govts interest to claim Wen Ho Lee was a Chinese agent unless they have specific evidence.
I can't see how it is in the Government's interest to make a huge issue out of the Lee case if they are not prepared to release the evidence or place him on trial. The government certainly comes off looking lame. If Lee's sole transgression was copying of files onto an insecure computer, how do we deduce that he was spying for China? Assuming that he is spying, he could just as easily be spying for Israel, or Taiwan, either of which would give plenty to get their hands on nuclear secrets.
If such copying of files is standard practice among scientists, as Lee claims (and I do not find the claim incredible), why was Lee singled out?
In the absence of any supporting evidence, the obvious answer to both questions is racism. If the case had been handled quietly and discreetly, there would be no need to release details. Now that the case has become a public issue, the government has little choice between releasing supporting evidence and appearing to be a bunch of racist thugs.
Personally, I would hope for a trial, with either an exemplary sentence or full reinstatement and compensation to follow, depending on the verdict. We are still a society which presumes an individual innocent until proven guilty, a principle we can ill afford to set aside.
I understand spying, and counterspying. But the way this case is being handled seems to defy the normal parameters of either, and to defy self-interest. Unless, of course, a political motive is intruding. |
