Ericsson Employees Charged with Espionage

Three Ericsson employees have been charged with espionage, for allegedly passing secret information from the company to a Russian intelligence official. Afshin Bavand (46) was charged with gross espionage and industrial espionage, while Mansour Rokkgireh (44) and Alireza Rafiei Bejarkenari (40) were both charged with complicity in industrial espionage.

The trial is due to start this week, and a verdict is expected next month. Bavand faces life imprisonment if convicted and his alleged assistants could face up to five years in jail.

"If these company secrets have been given away, it is my opinion that it may cause harm to the overall defense or to the security of the country," Lindstrand told The Associated Press.

It is understood that the espionage affected Ericsson's telecoms division, not its military operations. Ericsson still manufactures radar systems for military aircraft.

"With regard to the investigation, we cannot disclose what kind of information that has been handed over," says Henry St

Posted to the site on 13th May 2003