New York, NY - A contract worker is accused of stealing nuclear secrets from the Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee.
Investigators said the worker wanted to sell the secrets to a "foreign country."
Among the materials allegedly stolen was classified information about the uranium enrichment process. Officials familiar with the case said the suspect will face charges including violations of the Atomic Energy Act.
Investigators are calling the theft a serious breach of security at one of the country's most important nuclear research labs. Officials said there was serious concern the documents could have fallen into the hands of enemy states or even terrorist organizations.
The Oak Ridge National lab, located in eastern Tennessee, near Knoxville, was established in 1943. [ap]