Sir

Your News story “From aircraft engineer to FBI suspect” (Nature 442, 232; 200610.1038/442232a) highlights academics' naïveté about security issues.

In my opinion, the motives of researchers do matter. Unfortunately, most media portray scientists concerned in these matters, when they come to light, as innocent victims rather than as people who need to be more aware of the risks and who should ensure that their actions are lawful.

In the case you describe in your News story, it is incredible that J. Reece Roth should not have realized that hiring a Chinese graduate student might pose potential security risks. Anyone signing an agreement to receive military government contracts and funding is required by law to sign a waiver stating that the research will not be shared with foreign powers and that all involved must be US citizens. This is standard policy in military-awarded contracts with secret and security-related applications.