Statement
of FBI Director Louis J. Freeh
On the Arrest of FBI Special Agent Robert Philip Hanssen
Photographs
Affidavit
Attorney General John Ashcroft,
FBI Director Louis J. Freeh and United States Attorney Helen
Fahey announced today that a veteran FBI counterintelligence
Agent was arrested Sunday by the FBI and charged with committing
espionage by providing highly classified national security information
to Russia and the former Soviet Union.
At the time of the arrest at
a park in Vienna, Virginia, Robert Philip Hanssen, age 56, was
clandestinely placing a package containing highly classified
information at a pre-arranged, or "dead drop," site
for pick-up by his Russian handlers. Hanssen had previously received
substantial sums of money from the Russians for the information
he disclosed to them.
FBI Director Louis J. Freeh expressed
both outrage and sadness. He said the charges, if proven, represent
"the most serious violations of law -- and threat to national
security."
"A betrayal of trust by
an FBI Agent, who is not only sworn to enforce the law but specifically
to help protect our nation's security, is particularly abhorrent.
This kind of criminal conduct represents the most traitorous
action imaginable against a country governed by the Rule of Law.
It also strikes at the heart of everything the FBI represents
-- the commitment of over 28,000 honest and dedicated men and
women in the FBI who work diligently to earn the trust and confidence
of the American people every day."
"These kinds of cases are
the most difficult, sensitive and sophisticated imaginable. I
am immensely proud of the men and women of the FBI who conducted
this investigation. Their actions represent counterintelligence
at its very best, reflecting dedication to both principle and
mission. It is not an easy assignment to investigate a colleague,
but they did so unhesitatingly, quietly and securely."
Hanssen was charged in a criminal
complaint filed in Federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, with
espionage and conspiracy to commit espionage, violations that
carry a possible punishment of life in prison, and under certain
circumstances, the death penalty. Following the arrest, FBI Agents
began searching Hanssen's residence, automobiles and workspace
for additional evidence.
A detailed affidavit, filed in
support of the criminal complaint and search warrants, provides
a troubling account of how Hanssen first volunteered to furnish
highly sensitive documents to KGB intelligence officers assigned
to the Soviet embassy in Washington, D.C. The affidavit chronicles
the systematic transfer of highly classified national security
and counterintelligence information by Hanssen in exchange for
diamonds and cash worth more than $600,000. Hanssen's activities
also have links to other, earlier espionage and national security
investigations including the Aldrich Ames and Felix Bloch cases,
according to the affidavit.
The affidavit alleges that on
over 20 separate occasions, Hanssen clandestinely left packages
for the KGB, and its successor agency, the SVR, at dead drop
sites in the Washington area. He also provided over two dozen
computer diskettes containing additional disclosures of information.
Overall, Hanssen gave the KGB/SVR more than 6,000 pages of valuable
documentary material, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit alleges that Hanssen
compromised numerous human sources of the U.S. Intelligence Community,
dozens of classified U.S. Government documents, including "Top
Secret" and "codeword" documents, and technical
operations of extraordinary importance and value. It also alleges
that Hanssen compromised FBI counterintelligence investigative
techniques, sources, methods and operations, and disclosed to
the KGB the FBI's secret investigation of Felix Bloch, a foreign
service officer, for espionage.
Freeh said that although no formal
damage assessment could be conducted before the arrest without
jeopardizing the investigation, it is believed that the damage
will be exceptionally grave.
During the time of his alleged
illegal activities, Hanssen was assigned to New York and Washington,
D.C., where he held key counterintelligence positions. As a result
of his assignments, Hanssen had direct and legitimate access
to voluminous information about sensitive programs and operations.
As the complaint alleges, Hanssen effectively used his training,
expertise and experience as a counterintelligence Agent to avoid
detection, to include keeping his identity and place of employment
from his Russian handlers and avoiding all the customary "tradecraft"
and travel usually associated with espionage. The turning point
in this investigation came when the FBI was able to secure original
Russian documentation of an American spy who appeared to the
FBI to be Hanssen, which subsequent investigation confirmed.
Freeh said the investigation
that led to the charges is a direct result of the combined and
continuing FBI/CIA effort ongoing for many years to identify
additional foreign penetrations of the U.S. intelligence community.
The investigation of Hanssen was conducted by the FBI with direct
assistance from the CIA, Department of State and the Justice
Department, and represents an aggressive and creative effort
which led to this counterintelligence success. Freeh said, "We
appreciate the unhesitating leadership and support of Attorney
General John Ashcroft from the moment he took office."
Freeh also expressed his gratitude
to Helen Fahey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District
of Virginia, Assistant United States Attorney Randy Bellows,
and senior Justice Department officials Robert Mueller, Frances
Fragos Townsend, John Dion and Laura Ingersoll for their contributions
to the case.
United States Attorney Fahey
said, "In the past decade, it has been our unfortunate duty
to prosecute a number of espionage cases -- Ames, Pitts, Nicholson,
Squillacote, Kim, Boone, and others. With each case, we hope
it will be the last. Today, however with the arrest of Robert
Hanssen, we begin again the process of bringing to justice a
U.S. Government official charged with the most egregious violations
of the public trust. The full resources of the Department of
Justice will be devoted to ensuring that those persons who would
betray their country and the people of the United States are
prosecuted and severely punished."
"I want to express my appreciation
for the outstanding work done by the National Security Division
and the Washington Field Office of the FBI in this investigation.
Their superlative work in this extraordinarily sensitive and
important investigation is testament to their professionalism
and dedication. We also express our deep appreciation for the
outstanding assistance provided by the Internal Security Section
of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice."
Freeh and CIA Director George
Tenet kept the Intelligence Committees of Congress, because of
the clear national security and foreign policy implications,
informed about the case.
As a result of Hanssen's actions,
Freeh has ordered a comprehensive review of information and personnel
security programs in the FBI. Former FBI Director and Director
of Central Intelligence William H. Webster will lead the review.
Webster, currently in private law practice, brings a "unique
experience and background in government management and counterintelligence,"
Freeh said. "Moreover, the respect he enjoys throughout
the intelligence community and elsewhere in government is second
to none. Judge Webster will have complete access and whatever
resources that are necessary to complete the task and will report
directly to Attorney General Ashcroft and me. I will share his
report with the National Security Council and then Congress as
well," Freeh said.