Former US airman on spy charge

Mr Regan worked at a top-secret military installation

A retired US Air Force sergeant who worked for a spy satellite agency has been formally charged with handing over secrets to a foreign government.

The FBI's affidavit alleges

Regan was carrying 3 rubber gloves and 5 finger sleeves

Names and addresses hidden in shoe

Suitcase contained glue and packing tape

He did multiple U-turns in case being followed

Had hand-held GPS for finding drop or signal sites

As of Feb 2001 had consumer debts of $53,000

Brian P Regan from Bowie, Maryland, appeared in a court in Virginia where he was charged with espionage.

He was arrested late on Thursday as he was about to take a flight from Washington's Dulles airport to Zurich, Switzerland.

Prosecutors said Mr Regan's alleged espionage activities started in August last year and continued until the time of his arrest.

But they would not say for whom or for which country Mr Regan was spying.

Top secret agency

Mr Regan, who retired from the Air Force last year, had recently been working for the National Reconnaissance Center (NRO), which designs, builds, and maintains spy satellites.

The BBC's defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the NRO is "the nerve centre for key intelligence gathering activity" and that its very existence was a secret until 1992.

Police outside Mr Regan's home in Maryland

It is here where it is alleged Mr Regan obtained classified information which he passed on.

US attorney Kenneth Melson said: "Mr Regan conspired to transmit classified US national defence information to a person or persons he knew was working for foreign government with the intent to aid that foreign government and bring injury to the United States."

If convicted, Mr Regan could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The 38-year-old, who is married with four children, has in the past received military honours for his service, including an award for his work as an intelligence analyst following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

False moves

According to an affidavit issued by the FBI, which is investigating the case, Mr Regan had told colleagues he was taking a trip to Disneyland in Florida with his family when he was in fact planning to fly to Switzerland.

Mr Regan's arrest at the airport follows a recent plea-bargain deal with Robert Hanssen, who was found guilty on several counts of spying for Russia.

Robert Hanssen was found guilty of spying for Russia

Since his arrest, the former FBI man has been debriefing intelligence officers in his prison cell.

The US Government says that Hanssen provided Moscow with information on satellites, early warning systems, contingency plans in the event of nuclear attack, communications intelligence and defence strategy.

According to the prosecution, Hanssen was paid $1.4m in money and diamonds by his handlers.

An unnamed government source is quoted by new agency reports as saying that Mr Regan's alleged espionage work had been "not nearly as damaging to national security" as that of FBI agent Robert Hanssen.

A judge has scheduled a hearing for Mr Regan for Wednesday.