A Closer Look; Stealing Secrets

World News Sunday ABC News Transcript

Anchors: Dan Harris

Reporters: Pierre Thomas (Washington, DC USA)

October 14, 2007

DAN HARRIS (Off-camera) And tonight, we're gonna take 'A Closer Look" at a serious and growing security threat, the illegal transfer of sensitive American technology to foreign countries.

DAN HARRIS (Voiceover) Last year, the Pentagon reported a 43% increase in suspicious foreign contacts with US defense companies.

DAN HARRIS (Off-camera) America has become the world's primary target for technology theft. And as ABC's Pierre Thomas reports, much of what's stolen ends up in the hands of our enemies.

PIERRE THOMAS (Voiceover) In this undercover video, a Florida man is trying to buy the engine of a US F-16 fighter jet. The man who pled guilty last year was an agent for China.

KENNETH WAINSTEIN (ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL) Foreign states are actively and aggressively seeking out our technology.

JULIE MYERS (ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY) The threat is real and the consequences dire.

PIERRE THOMAS (Voiceover) This device, which looks like a spool of thread, is used by hospitals to smash kidney stones, but the device can also be used to detonate a nuclear bomb.

DARRYL JACKSON (ASSISTANT SECRETARY A shipment of 200 of these that were supposed to go to a hospital in South Africa were exported to Pakistan.

PIERRE THOMAS (Off-camera) The desire for US technology is intense. An anti-tank missile like this is coveted by insurgents and terrorists around the world. Last year, six men from Maryland were charged with trying to smuggle missiles like this to terrorists in Sri Lanka.

GRAPHICS: TECHNOLOGY THEFT

PIERRE THOMAS (Voiceover) Other targets for theft, stealth technology for military aircraft and submarines, supercomputers, helicopter parts and satellites. More than 100 countries are actively trying to steal, with China, Russia and Iran at the top of the list. A review of recent government investigations reveals that friends and foes have successfully pilfered US technology. Aerospace-grade aluminum and parts for unmanned aircraft and other military planes have made their way to Iran. China has stolen stealth technology and sophisticated night vision equipment. A Pittsburgh company was recently sentenced for lying about a conspiracy to illegally export to Pakistan components used in nuclear reactors and ballistic missiles. So, in some cases, Americans sell out their country for cash.

SKIP BRANDON (FORMER FBI DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) Pure greed. It's bottom line. And they just don't care.

PIERRE THOMAS (Voiceover) In other cases, foreign nations send operatives here to the US to pose as legitimate businessmen from friendly countries only to buy US technology and then ship to enemy governments.