Accused B-2 secrets peddler asks for jury trial
NOSHIR GOWADIA pleaded not guilty yesterday to transmitting and selling top-secret information to foreigners and was permitted to visit his wife at the federal courthouse.
The shackled and handcuffed Gowadia, 61, who had promoted himself as the father of the classified technology that shields the B-2 stealth bomber, smiled and waved to his wife, Cheryl, and son Ashton and friends as he entered court.
He is charged with three counts of communication, delivery and transmission of national defense information and three counts of violating the Arms Export Control Act. He also requested a jury trial.
Attorney Chris Todd requested Gowadia be allowed a moment with his wife, who lives on Maui and had not seen her husband in two weeks. Magistrate Leslie Kobayashi allowed the couple to meet on the first floor of the federal courthouse after the hearing.
Kobayashi will hear arguments at 10 a.m. today on whether to reconsider denying Gowadia bail. He was arrested Oct. 26 and denied bail Oct. 28.
Todd said the defense would go along with reasonable bail or restrictions because Gowadia has a genetic blood disease for which he requires uninterrupted rest outside jail.
Trial was set for Jan. 10 before Judge Helen Gillmor.
Gowadia is accused of e-mailing or faxing top-secret information to two foreign businesspersons for a proposal to develop infrared suppression technology for foreign commercial aircraft and to a foreign official to develop such technology for a foreign military aircraft.
Todd said Gowadia's family and friends are extremely saddened by the indictment.
"They believe strongly that he is innocent of all the charges," he said.
He said Gowadia has devoted his entire 40-year career to the defense of the United States, and the family hopes once his attorneys and his consultant are able to obtain security clearances, they will be able to present evidence to clear up what the family believes is a "terrible misunderstanding about his consulting work concerning aircraft survivability."