Vanunu issues plea for asylum
The whistleblower who alerted the world to Israel’s nuclear weapons program appealed tonight for a country to grant him asylum.
Mordechai Vanunu, who was released from prison in April after serving 18 years for treason, said his life was in danger from extremists.
“I am ready to go to any state that will give me asylum or a passport to leave the country. I want to go abroad immediately.
It could be Ireland, Norway, England, Canada, the United States or any country - just to leave the country because my life here is not good and I am under threat.”
Under the terms of his release, Mr Vanunu is not permitted to talk to foreigners and has to remain in Israel for a year. He must notify police if he leaves the city of Jerusalem, where he has been staying, or if he spends the night in another home.
“I can enjoy my freedom but I am not totally free to have the freedoms every other human being has, to walk in the streets meeting and talking to anyone. So I am free but not totally free,” he said.
Mr Vanunu revealed details of the Israeli nuclear plant at Dimona to the Sunday Times newspaper in 1986. He was subsequently abducted from Italy by Israeli agents and imprisoned for treason.
“There was no regret, only satisfaction that I succeeded in doing it. From the beginning, it was clear for me that I did the right thing, that I followed my conscience and I did it for peace. I have the full right to inform the world that the Israeli government was cheating and lying (about the existence of its nuclear weapons program),” he told RTÉ.
Last month, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected a petition by Mr Vanunu to be allowed to leave the country. The Israeli government argued that he was still a security risk. But Mr Vanunu said he had no more nuclear secrets to tell.
“All the secrets I had I gave to the Sunday Times 18 years ago. It is just exercising Israel’s power. They want to frighten anyone from abroad who will try to speak on their nuclear secrets. They want to keep this issue out of the politics of any international organisation.”
