Los Alamos scientist freed

Mr Lee's family has always maintained his innocence

An American nuclear scientist, held for nine months in solitary confinement on charges of breaching national security, has walked free after pleading guilty to a single charge of improperly handling sensitive data.

An apologetic judge said the government's actions had "embarrassed our entire nation."

I sincerely apologise to you, Dr Lee, for the unfair manner in which you were held in custody by the executive branch

Judge James Parker

Judge James Parker said he is bound by the plea bargain agreement to sentence Mr Lee to 278 days, one day less than he already has served.

The BBC Washington correspondent says the agreement is a remarkable and embarrassing climbdown by the US Government, which has also been accused of racial motives in bringing the charges.

Mr Lee had been expected to be released on Monday, but this was delayed after lawyers failed to agree a deal

He had been charged with 59 counts of breaching national security at the Los Alamos nuclear weapons factory, and faced life in prison if convicted.

Cooperation

In exchange for Mr Lee's guilty plea the government dropped 58 counts against the Taiwan-born naturalised citizen.

Judge Parker said he was also sorry that the plea deal prevented disclosure of information that would have shed light on the reasons for Mr Lee's detention.

As part of the proposed deal, the scientist has agreed to cooperate with investigators as they try to confirm his account that he destroyed seven missing tape of computer data.

Mr Lee lost his job at the laboratory against a background of widespread allegations that he had compromised what were described as "the crown jewels" of US nuclear weapons technology.

Federal officials had suggested he had helped China to acquire US nuclear weapons technology.

But he was never charged with spying.

His cooperation brings to an end a three-year-old case that has been marked by claims that the scientist was unfairly singled out for investigation because of his race.