Enemies in our midst: House Representative claims NASA let Chinese 'spy' take classified information from top space research centre

• Republican Frank Wolf claims Chinese worker removed sensitive information from Langley Research Center in Virginia
  
• Said unnamed individual had links to institution in China regarded as 'entity of concern' by US Government
• Claims NASA management 'turns blind eye' to security breaches and called for review of all foreign nationals it employs
  

By Sam Adams

Published: 07:54 EDT, 8 March 2013 | Updated: 08:58 EDT, 8 March 2013

Fears: Rep. Frank Wolf claims national security has been compromised at NASA's Langley Research Center

NASA has been accused of compromising national security by allowing a Chinese national to remove classified information from a top US space research centre.

Republican Representative Frank Wolf said 'several dozen' Chinese workers were employed by a contractor at Langley Research Center 'in an apparent attempt to circumvent appropriations restrictions' that were put in place by Congress to prevent  'foreign nationals of concern' from being hired.

Rep. Wolf, who is chairman of a House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees NASA - said he was told about the practice by 'whistleblowers' at the facility in Hampton, Virginia.

Addressing a press conference in Washington, he said he was told that one unnamed Chinese national who has links with an institution in China that the US government regards as an 'entity of concern,' is still employed at the site, the Daily Press reports.

He said this worker was permitted access to classified information which he was then, allegedly, allowed to take back home to China.

Rep. Wolf, who is chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations subcommittee, which funds NASA, has often criticised the Chinese Government for its alleged human rights abuses and cyber espionage.

He said he had spoken to FBI Director Robert Mueller about the alleged national security violations at Langley. Rep. Wolf said he had been shown documents and information about the alleged security breach by NASA employees, which he has handed to the FBI.

He described the details as 'shocking' and accused NASA's 'management culture' of turning a blind eye - or maybe even 'encouraging' - security violations, the Examiner reports.

He said he wants an independent investigation of NASA's national security operations and a review of all current foreign nationals employed by the organisation.

Fears: Rep. Wolf said he was given the information about the alleged security breach by 'whistleblowers' at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

NASA's associate administrator for communications, David Weaver, said, in a statement, that the person Rep. Wolf referred to no longer works at Langley.

He said NASA takes allegations of security breaches 'very seriously' and that it had completed its own review and referred the issue to the authorities.

NASA invests more hundreds of millions of dollars each year on homeland security and counterintelligence activities, and requires annual security training for all of its employees, he added.

Mr Weaver said foreign nationals are allowed to work at NASA facilities, and that contractors used to hire them are required to comply with all US Export Control, immigration laws and regulations.