25-year FBI veteran accused of spying

GALLERY Agents kept Hanssen under surveillance for at least four months before arresting him Sunday at this park in Vienna, Virginia

Suspect charged with passing information, identifying double agents

In this story: Attorney represented convicted CIA spy Four-month surveillance Bush orders inquiry RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veteran FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was charged Tuesday with passing classified documents to Russia and with identifying for Russian intelligence three KGB agents who were working for the United States as double agents.

VIDEO FBI agent's lawyer discusses espionage case Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   IN-DEPTH CNN - Cold War   RESOURCES Recent U.S. spy cases   ALSO Neighbor shocked by Hanssen arrest An interview with Aldrich Ames   MESSAGE BOARD Spy arrest

The 25-year FBI veteran, appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Theresa Buchanan in Alexandria to hear the charges against him two days after his arrest, was ordered held without bond until he appears again in court on March 5.

A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Washington had no comment on the allegations.

"Individuals who commit treasonous acts against the United States will be held fully accountable," Attorney General John Ashcroft said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

"I will devote whatever resources are necessary within the department to ensure that justice is done in this case and any other case like it," he added.

Ashcroft said attempts by other governments to obtain U.S. secrets "are as intense today as they have ever been."

"The FBI entrusted him with some of its most sensitive matters. And the U.S. government relied upon him for his service and his integrity. He, as charged, abused and betrayed that trust. The crimes alleged are an affront not only to his fellow FBI employees, but to the American people," said FBI Director Louis Freeh.

Freeh said the bureau has not yet determined how badly U.S. interests were damaged by the espionage Hanssen is suspected of carrying out. In addition, former FBI and CIA chief William Webster will lead a comprehensive review of U.S. counterintelligence procedures and security in the wake of Hanssen's arrest, Ashcroft said.

Robert Philip Hanssen

Hanssen was charged with passing top-secret documents to Soviet agents on March 20, 1989, as part of "a conspiracy to cause injury to the United States and an advantage to a foreign government, namely the USSR."

Hanssen, a 56-year-old father of six, was charged with fingering the three double agents on October 1, 1985. Court documents also alleged that he was paid $1.4 million from 1985 until his arrest on Sunday.

Hanssen's attorney, Plato Cacheris, described his client as "quite upset" and "very emotional" and said he was not guilty of the charges against him.

If convicted, Hanssen could face life imprisonment or -- under special circumstances -- the death penalty. Steep fines could also be imposed.

Attorney represented convicted CIA spy

Hanssen spent most of his career in counter-intelligence operations designed to catch spies. His most recent assignment was with the State Department, where his job was to help ferret out Russian spies.

Hannsen's attorney, Plato Cacheris, described his client as "quite upset" and "very emotional"

Hanssen's high security clearance and sensitive job assignments gave him access to details of U.S. security operations, including methods the United States used to conduct electronic surveillance.

Sources told CNN that Hanssen would have been in position to warn the Russians if the United States suspected anyone of spying.

FBI officials said Hanssen may have also allowed the Russians to cross-check and confirm the names of U.S. intelligence agents supplied to them by Aldrich Ames, a CIA employee arrested in 1997 and convicted of spying for the Russians. At least 10 of the agents fingered by Ames were executed.

Cacheris, Hanssen's attorney, also represented Ames.

Four-month surveillance

The charges filed against Hanssen were based on a 110-page affidavit outlining his alleged activities.

One source told CNN that the FBI obtained documents from the KGB, the Russian intelligence service, that pointed to Hanssen as a mole inside the FBI.

FBI agents begin making sketches in the front yard of FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen's home in Vienna, Virginia

Agents kept Hanssen under surveillance for at least four months before arresting him Sunday at a park in Vienna, Virginia, after he allegedly dropped classified documents into a "dead box" where they could be picked up by Russian agents.

An FBI official said the Russians paid Hanssen "substantial amounts" for his information.

Former Deputy Attorney General George Terwilliger told CNN that "no case like this would be brought unless it was very, very strong."

Bush orders inquiry

Because of Hanssen's position and high security clearance, U.S. officials moved quickly to determine the extent of damage his alleged activities may have caused.

Aides to President George W. Bush said the damage may be "considerable, potentially quite serious," and that the president had approved the recommendation for an independent review involving the CIA, State and Justice Departments.

Plans for that operation were to be announced later on Tuesday. William Webster, a former head of both the CIA and FBI, was expected to be appointed to head the blue-ribbon panel to conduct the review.

CNN Correspondents Jeanne Meserve, Steve Harrigan, Eileen O'Connor, David Ensor and Kelli Arena contributed to this report.

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Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • FBI Press Room - Press Release - 2000 - Veteran FBI Agent Arrested and Charged with Espionage
Central Intelligence Agency
US Department of State
U.S. Department of Justice
Embassy of the Russian Federation
Russian FSB (former KGB, in Russian)

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