Israeli sources have confirmed that an American scientist who worked for the US government and was arrested for attempted espionage has had deals with Israel Aerospace Industries.

Stewart David Nozette, 52, was detained on Monday after offering to provide national secrets to an FBI agent posing as an Israeli intelligence officer.

According to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, the sources said the former NASA employee, who has also worked for the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense, was hired as a consultant to the Israeli company.

Israel Aerospace Industries is the government-owned flagship of Israel’s defense industry.

The report was confirmed by US sources. The Israeli company refused to comment on it.

The Justice Department said it has charged Nozette with attempting to "communicate, deliver and transmit classified information to an individual he believed to be an Israeli intelligence officer."

Israeli officials have so far kept silence on the issue.

Several US citizens have been arrested in recent years over espionage activities for Israel. They, however, receive light sentences thanks to Tel Aviv’s influence in Washington as well as the close ties between the two allies.

(Press TV)