US spy 'avoids death penalty'

FBI agents thoroughly searched Mr Hanssen's house

The US Justice Department is no longer demanding that Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent, accused of being Soviet spy, face the death penalty, sources close to the case have reported.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that plea negotiations had resumed and that an agreement could be reached within the next two weeks.

Hanssen is alleged to have received $1.4m for secrets

Under the main elements of the deal, Mr Hanssen would agree to plead guilty to espionage charges and co-operate with government investigators on what he disclosed to the Russians.

In exchange he would get a long prison term, such as life imprisonment, but would avoid the death penalty, the sources said.

Defence secrets

The decision is reported to be informal and to depend upon the Justice Department's perception that Mr Hanssen is co-operating with their inquiries.

Mr Hanssen pleaded not guilty late last month to charges of spying for Russia during the past 15 years in one of the most serious espionage cases in US history.

A 21-count indictment charged that Mr Hanssen allegedly compromised secrets related to satellites, early warning systems, US means of defence or retaliation against large-scale nuclear attacks, communications intelligence and defence strategy.

Mr Hanssen was charged with conspiracy to commit espionage, 19 counts of espionage and one count of attempted espionage.

Secret codes

An FBI counter-intelligence agent for 25 years, he is accused of selling secrets to Moscow since 1985 for $1.4m in money and diamonds.

Information drops were made in a park near Washington

Mr Hanssen was arrested in February after allegedly dropping off a bundle of classified material at a park near his home in suburban Virginia to be picked up by his Russian handlers.

The FBI said it had obtained original Russian documents that detailed Mr Hanssen's alleged activities, including letters he allegedly wrote to his Russian handlers and secret codes he allegedly used to signal when and where he would drop documents.

Fourteen of the charges against Mr Hanssen are punishable by death.

Double agents killed

Prosecutors allege Mr Hanssen's actions led to the death of two double agents.

Plea bargain negotiations between Justice Department prosecutors and Mr Hanssen's attorneys collapsed in May when the government refused to take the death penalty off the table.

From the government's perspective, getting a plea deal with Mr Hanssen would avoid the need for a trial and would also avoid the possibility that national security secrets would be disclosed in court.

A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, who has been hearing the case, had set a tentative trial date of 29 October.