18 February 2000
(Accused had access to classified and sensitive INS files) (280) Following is the February 17 Justice Department news release on the arrest of an INS official on espionage charges: (Begin text) OPERATION FALSE BLUE CUBAN SPY CASE PRESS RELEASE Hector M. Pesquera Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Miami Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Robert Wallis District Director of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Miami, working closely with the Office of Inspector General, Washington, D.C. announces today the arrest of Mariano Faget, age 54, place of birth Havana, Cuba, for the federal violation of the Espionage Act (Communicating National Defense Information to an Unauthorized Person) and making false statements. Faget, employed at INS, Miami, as a Supervisory District Adjudication Officer, holds a "Secret" security clearance at INS. Faget was responsible for supervising adjudication and naturalization decisions including requests for political asylum. Due to his position, Faget had access to classified and sensitive INS files relating to confidential law enforcement sources and Cuban defectors. Through sophisticated technical and physical surveillance techniques, the investigation revealed Faget making unauthorized contacts with Cuban intelligence officers in Miami and other cities in the United States. Faget is being held at the Federal Detention Center, Miami, and will appear in U.S. District Court, Miami at 2:00 P.M. for an initial appearance hearing. The FBI and the INS will hold a press conference at the Miami FBI Office at 10:30 AM, February 18, 2000. (End text) (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:usinfo.state.gov)