Nuclear Whistleblower Seeks to Renounce Citizenship

Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu has reportedly asked to renounce his citizenship to prevent the Israeli government from forcing him to remain in the country after his release from prison later this month, the Associated Press reported Saturday (see GSN, March 11).

Vanunu is expected to be released from prison April 21 after serving 18 years for providing pictures and descriptions of alleged Israeli nuclear weapons facilities to the London Sunday Times in 1986. On concerns that Vanunu might have more information on Israel’s long-assumed nuclear program, which the CIA believes consists of up to 400 weapons, Israeli officials are working to limit his travels once he is freed, according to AP.

Israel’s Channel Two television station reported Saturday that Vanunu sent a letter to the Israeli Interior Ministry seeking to formally renounce his citizenship. A ministry spokeswoman refused to comment on the issue, AP reported (Jason Keyser, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, April 3).

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